Fly Away Little Birds
by Samwise the Strong
Summary: Fili and Kili love Thorin, but their Uncle betrays them in a way most evil. Will they be able to survive this betrayal? Will Thorin find redemption before the end? Very sad story involving several original characters. Links to songs for chapters posted on profile. Play them while reading, it might just make you cry.
1. Chapter 1

Fly Away Little Birds Chapter 1

It was believed that Thorin Oakenshield would never marry. It was not because he did not want to, but because there were no dwarf women that the council and elders thought to be worthy of their precious heir of Durin. While they had found a husband for his sister, Dis, they had not found one that they believed was worthy of Thorin.

Thorin then made the decision that he did not want to wait for the approval of others and, and that if he found a mate, he would marry her regardless. He then made it clear to the council, that as of that moment, they had no further say in the matter, which angered them, but they could do nothing to change his mind. Thorin found a woman, one of the greatest beauties in Ered Luin, she had raven hair and porcelain skin; no beard, but that was completely okay with Thorin, who had no love for women with beards as it was. Her name was Ondra, and that month, they were married. He loved Ondra desperately and would do anything for her, even if it meant taking on the world to make her happy.

A few short months later, Thorin's sister Dis gave birth to her first son, and named him Fili. Thorin was overjoyed, as was Ondra. Dis and her husband were similarly pleased, and loved their little love with all their hearts. Fili looked very much like his father, and Dis loved that about little Fili, but mostly they were pleased that they had created new life in the line of Durin.

Thorin was so very happy, but he noticed that Ondra was sad. She was happy about the baby, but it became clear to him that Ondra wanted a child of her own, to give Thorin a direct heir to the dwarven throne. Also she just wanted to have her own children that she could love and adore. So they tried to create a child, but it seemed that no matter how hard they tried, nothing happened. Thorin did not know what to do, and was about to surrender. Then Ondra was blessed with a miracle and she became pregnant.

Dis was actually pregnant at the same time, and so she and Ondra went through it together. However, Ondra's entire pregnancy was plagued with upset and difficulty. When the time came for the birth, it was long and difficult, but in the end, a tiny dwarven boy came crying into the world. Both mother and child lived, and the exiled king was excited beyond reason when he saw his son.

"What shall we name him?" Thorin asked, smiling broadly.

"Therien." Ondra said as she cradled her son.

"Therien it is." The proud father said.

Sadly, Ondra was told it would be unwise to try and have another child. The strain of the pregnancy and the birth would be too great for her, and she would die. Therien would be her first and last child. In the beginning it seemed like a sadness that they would not be able to have anymore children. Thorin reassured her, "It's not all bad. We have this joy, and he will grow up with cousins and other dwarves his age. We will not be losing anything when it comes to this experience."

A few months later, Dis' beloved son Kili was born, but sadly, Dis' husband was not long for this world. When he died, Dis was extremely distraught. Thorin invited her into their house so that she could be near family as she dealt with this distress. Ondra liked Dis, but didn't know if she wanted to share her home with this distraught dwarven woman. However share it she must and did, so Fili and Kili grew up close to Therien.

Dis became more and more distant as the years went on, and her attention on Fili and Kili waned as the years went on. Thorin was too busy to really notice these events, however Ondra was on the front lines, so to say. When Dis finally shut herself off completely, Ondra took over the care of her two sons, and she quickly made it clear that they were secondary (or very much third) to her own son, Therien. Often Ondra was cold toward them, and certainly had no love or caring for the two "foundlings", for that's what she thought them and sometimes said to them when she let her anger take over.

As Therien grew up, he was very much of the same opinion (shaped by his mother), that Fili and Kili may be of noble blood, but they were not as important, or even as good as he was. As they grew up, he was often cruel to Fili and Kili, usually got the best of whatever was offered, and sometimes he even lied to Thorin saying they had done things that they had not, which gave the two young dwarves no end of trouble.

The most cruel thing that Therien did was start a rumor. The two noticed as they passed through the village that people were looking at them slightly differently. They didn't have any idea what was going on, so they stopped the young dwarf Ori, who had also been trying to avoid them. He did not want to talk to them, as it seemed nobody did. Fili insisted.

"What's going on here, Ori? Why is everyone staring, yet avoiding us like a sickness?"

Ori didn't know quite what to say. So he decided the truth was best. "There had been a rumor going around that you are not your mother's sons." Ori said bashfully.

"What...?" Fili said dourly.

"I'm sorry, but it's been spreading like wildfire. That the two of you are the sons of your father's mistress, and are therefore not of the line of Durin."

"That's preposterous!" Kili said.

"They say that's also why Dis went into hiding. She found out and now can't stand the sight of you." Ori was now extremely uncomfortable with all of this. "I'm sorry. I don't know where all this came from."

"Thank you Ori." Fili said, patting him on the shoulder. "I think I do."

Ori quickly walked away as Fili and Kili made their way back to Thorin's house. Once they arrived there, the conversation with Therien quickly devolved into a shouting match. Sadly it attracted the attention of Therien's mother Ondra, a woman both Fili and Kili had come to hate. She made her way into the room. "What is the meaning of this?" She asked coldly.

Fili explained the rumor. "And you think this is sufficient reason to attack my son?" She asked.

"We're not attacking him", Kili began. "We just wanted to talk..."

She cut him off, "you have no right to speak to your prince like that! Especially seeing as the two of you probably really are bastards."

Fili was incensed! How dare she! "We most certainly are not! And how dare you, woman! For suggesting such a thing of our beloved father."

"Your beloved father was nothing. A man of her choosing. Did you know that?"

"Uncle Thorin chose you, what's the difference?"

"Your uncle, my husband, knew my family, that we were of high standing. Who knows where your father came from? They say that he came from Dain's country, although that doesn't mean that he wasn't the son of a whore. Maybe even an elf whore..."

"How dare you!" Kili said. "Our father was a great dwarf!"

"Come now, boy." She said. "You didn't even know him."

"I did." Fili said.

"For five years. That tells you nothing about him."

"Still, you have no right!" Fili said. "Then again, you always have been an unholy bitch!"

Anger flared in her eyes, and she stepped forward and slapped Fili. "Get out! You and your disgusting brother. I'll have you sully my house no longer. Get out..."

She was seething, so Fili and Kili left the house, and planned not to go back. However things did not cease to be complicated. The rumors about them were flying, and no one in the village would take them in, so they found themselves alone and homeless for the first time. It took a while for the their uncle's dearest friends, Balin and Dwalin to take them in off the rainy street. Balin and Dwalin were of a good age, and had little use for rumors. Also they had almost no love for Ondra, and thought her to be as unholy as Fili did. Fili and Kili spent the next few years with them, and then the unthinkable happened. Their mother died.

The brothers were allowed to go to the funeral, but it was clear that most either did not want them there or didn't really care that they were there. Thorin had been there, but Fili and Kili made the conscious decision not to see Thorin or his family there. So they went later, and the three had already come and gone. Kili may have wept, he would not remember, but Fili would not. If anything, he felt like he had been betrayed by everyone who had ever been supposed to love him, his mother included.

Life had to go on, though, and so it did. Fili and Kili separated themselves more and more from Thorin, only seeing him on occasion, and never in the presence of Ondra or Therien. They separated themselves from their connection to the house of Durin, for it was of little use to them now, and began to create new lives for themselves. Then one day Thorin called for them, and once again, everything changed.

It was immediately clear that Thorin was angry with them, for it was clear that someone had given Therien a good thrashing, and it was clear that Thorin believed it was them.

"You would do this?" Thorin asked. "You would hurt my son? Your cousin? Your family?"

"We have not done this, Uncle Thorin," Fili said. "And in all truth, _Uncle, _we haven't been family for many a long year. What would thrashing Therien gain us?"

Thorin jumped from the chair behind his desk, slamming his fist down upon the desk in fury! "Fili, how dare you speak to me in such a manner! You are my sister's son, of course you are my family, which makes this crime even more disturbing."

Kili said, "I swear to you, we have not done this thing. Please Uncle, you have to believe me!" He was trying to repair some of the damage Fili might have done them.

Thorin simply glared at both of them. "I have several witnesses that say you are guilty of this."

"Are they his friends?" Fili asked.

"That doesn't matter. You and your brother must leave Ered Luin immediately, and never return." Thorin said.

"It is nice to see that your mind is so easily poisoned. Thank you for nothing, Uncle..." Fili said as he turned his back on Thorin.

"Just get out, you pathetic little bastards." He heard Thorin say quietly. Nobody responded to this, and Fili and Kili were soon gone. But they had no doubt that Therien and Ondra were celebrating over their defeat.

Fili and Kili left the village where they had spent the first forty-five years of their life and made their way toward the ruins of Gondamon to the South. They had no idea where they were to go now, for they would find no love with Dain in the Iron Hills either. Perhaps they would go South into the realms of men. Maybe as far South as Minas Tirith Fili had once said to Kili on their ride. However that was not to be either, for their cousin had set one more trap. Men who had stopped them on the road and taken them prisoner. They were never to be seen in Ered Luin again. They had disappeared.

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Hello all. Believable? Not so much? Too harrowing? Anyway, let me know what you think. Always glad to hear from my lovely readers! Also check out The Despair of Moria and some of my other stuff if you sort of like this beginning. If you have suggestions, thoughts, anything, let me know. I always tend to go toward depressing, but trust me when I say it'll all come out okay...*evil laugh* Yeah, okay. Cheers! STS


	2. Chapter 2

Fly Away Little Birds Chapter 2

When Bilbo Baggins was young, his father took a trip to Bree. Bilbo did not get to go, and he was greatly disappointed by this, but Bungo promised to bring him back an excellent present. So Bilbo waited in anticipation for his father's return and the fabulous gift. What he was not expecting was for this fabulous gift to be a...A pair of dwarves? Or at least they seemed to be dwarves. In all truth they looked quite feral and one might have mistaken them for something less savory, but dwarves they were. Bungo's wife, Belladona was perhaps the most astonished with the filthy disgusting pair, and before anyone was allowed in the house, Bungo and Belladona had a long conversation outside.

Bungo wasn't accustomed to bringing home oddities, nor was he one to purchase the flesh of others, so to say. However, he made it clear to his wife that there were circumstances that required his immediate action, and he was not about to let the dwarves die for reasons they were not going to discuss at the moment. He assured Belladona that they had not made a significant dent in their finances and that the dwarves would be useful in some capacity. Belladona agreed with her husband, but at first was not trusting of the dwarves, nor did she want them in her house in their current state.

Belladona was resourceful and led a dwarf through the back door and by the shortest route to the bathroom where she required that they bathe one at a time. The other waited outside while this one bathed, and she took the old "clothes" such as they were, away. When she came back to the dwarf, he was trying madly to wash his ratty hair. "May I help?" She asked. At first the dwarf was taken aback, and did not know how to respond. "I will help." She said. He did not try to stop her, though she could fell the tension rising between them. She did not know the whole story, and knew that it was probably complex and disturbing, but hope that she would be able to help the dwarves while they were here.

This one had light colored hair when one got past the knots and dirt. And was actually not unpleasant to look at. He was damaged though in ways that she both could and could not see. "Do you have a name?" She asked him. "It's alright, you can speak."

"I..." He began. "Mistress, my name is Fili." He said, but he did not turn to look at her.

"Ah," She said. "I am sure that is a perfectly dwarvish name."

"I know I should speak no more, mistress, but..."

"It's alright."

"My brother is Kili. He does not really speak." Fili said.

"Does he not speak because he cannot?"

"It is just..." Fili did not know how to say it. "He has simply been taught a lesson very well, mistress. He can still speak, he has been taught that he never should. So for many years, he has not."

"That is terrible!" Belladona said as she continued to work on his hair. "Well he can speak now."

"You may allow it, but I don't know if he will." Fili said. "I don't know how he learned this lesson, or from whom, but it was well taught."

"Is there anything else I should know?" She asked him.

"Yes, mistress. Kili carries something that is very important to him. It is the only thing he has held on to since...The beginning. Please don't take it from him mistress. I beg of you."

"What is this thing?" Belladona asked him.

"A tooth, mistress."

Belladona was taken aback. "A tooth? Is it his?"

"No, mistress, but it belonged to someone who was very...Dear to him at one time." Fili said.

"And where is this person now?" She asked him.

"She is dead. We watched them kill her."

Again, a shocked silence. "Slavers don't usually do that."

"These weren't slavers. They were bandits and brigands from the Chetwood outside of Bree. They are closely associated with orcs and other foul creatures because they themselves are foul."

"So it would seem. I will let him keep the tooth for now. Come, you are done. Go sit in the living room."

Belladona took Fili to the living room and sat him upon a lovely floral love seat with a mere sheet to cover himself with. It was there that he first met Bilbo, their young son. At the age of twenty-three, Bilbo wasn't much to look at. Just a rolly poley hobbit child, as curious as any other. The young hobbit entered the room quietly and sat in a chair across the room from the strange, haggard looking dwarf. At first Fili paid him no mind, thinking maybe that the child would grow bored and go away. However, he did not. Fili was not allowed to say anything to him, for the master always spoke first regardless of the situation. So he waited, head down, staring at his now cleaner feet.

Finally Bilbo said something. "So you are a dwarf, correct?"

"Yes master." Fili said.

"I have never met a dwarf before. Have you...Spoken with many hobbits?"

"No master."

"Do you have a name?"

"Fili, master."

"Ah, I am Bilbo Baggins. So I guess you'll be staying with us for a while?"

"Yes master."

"You know, you don't have to call me 'master'. I would prefer if you didn't."

Bilbo immediately knew he had said the wrong thing, for the dwarf closed his eyes and shook his head, diving onto the floor in front of him. "It's not allowed, master. I must, I must!"

"It's alright." Bilbo said. The sheet had fallen from around the dwarf. "You might want to right the sheet, Fili."

It was then that Fili realized that he was quite uncovered. He pulled the sheet back around himself and apologized profusely before Bilbo told his to sit again. Moments later, a rather frazzled looking Kili walked out with Belladona close behind him. He looked markedly more dwarvish and handsome, however what was true for Fili was true for Kili as well. His experiences had marked him in many ways since the beginning. But Fili could tell by the clenching of Kili's left hand that she had let him keep the tooth, and he was thankful for small mercies.

Bungo had set up bedding for them in the cellar, which was actually quite comfortable. The most comfortable bedding that Fili had slept on for years. Belladona said she would try and find some kind of clothing for them in the morning but said, "Nothing in this house is filthy, and that includes the two of you from now on as well."

"Thank you, mistress," Fili answered for both of them. They slept that night wrapped in their sheets, but it was the best sleep that either of them had had in many a long year.

After that would begin some of the most blessed years of the two young dwarves. While they were both technically property, bought off of brigands who had decided to kill them, they were never treated badly, or in any way like they were less than creatures worthy of some respect. The hobbits never hurt the dwarves, and hardly ever raised their voices, which was a nice change. There was the rare occasion when Belladona would hit Kili upside the head with a wooden spoon if he messed up in the kitchen, but that was about it. Fili would have never guessed it, but Kili found great joy in cooking! Somehow the young dwarf found catharsis in the activity, which was a blessing really, as Kili needed to recover from whatever had to him while he and Fili were separated. Also Belladona was on a mission to make them both hobbitish. She said to them once, "nothing in this house is as thin as a rail, and that means the two of you as well!"

It was now required of Kili that he say at least four words in a row, and the mere acknowledgment of "yes master", or "yes mistress", would not be counted as the four word requirement. He still wouldn't say what had happened, nor did Fili think he ever would. So it goes, they were living reasonably well now.

The dwarves did the heavy work that the family needed while the Gamgees looked after the garden. Kili was on a never ending mission to overflow the market with baked goods, and Fili took to his more dwarven nature and actually forged tools and things for the people in and around Hobbiton and Tookland. It was all rather idyllic really. The two also developed an interesting friendship with Bilbo, who was somehow still bemused by the fact that they had two dwarves living with and working for them. When there was nothing to be done, the three would take to the Bindhole Wood and adventure, or even go as far as Frogmorton or on occasion even skirt Rushock Bog and Needlehole. The gate to Ered Luin was near there, but Fili and Kili knew that they would never take that walk again.

Fili once told Bilbo about how they had come to be in the predicament of slavery. All about Ondra, Therien, Thorin, the people of their village. Bilbo was very shocked by the cruelty of it all, but the question of lineage did indeed confuse him, and he asked Fili about it.

"Well, to tell the truth, mum didn't handle pregnancy well. Even at the earliest signs she began to become ill. So Thorin sent her away, to a place hidden in the mountains so that she and dad could have privacy, you know? I was born there, Kili was born there, Therien was born there. Mum and dad, they were so happy to have me, but something was wrong. She started acting crazy, and dad couldn't trust her with me. So in those first two years while I was up there, dad took care of me most of the time. I came down from the mountain when I was two. Then when she was pregnant with Kili, it all started over again, so Thorin sent all of us to the hidden lodge, yeah? Again, something happened to mum. She wasn't herself, and this time, dad wasn't there to protect Kili, he left just before Kili was born. Ondra saved Kili's life actually when mum was holding him over a tub of water and thinking about dropping him in. So nobody saw me until I was two, and it was about the same with Kili. For all anyone knew, we could have been someone elses children. I don't even know if anyone knew mum was pregnant when she and dad went away. All they knew was that she and dad were gone. In a way, Ondra raised us, and she hated every moment of it. She was resentful I think because she could only have one. She would have killed for two. Instead she thinks she's killed two. So here we are, alive and well."

Bilbo just stared at him for a moment, his mouth hanging open. He didn't know what to do, but Kili had gone silent and had turned away, as if he felt guilty about something. Or perhaps more ashamed. They were in the forest sitting right on the edge of where the forest ended and the bog began. Bilbo went and sat on a nearby log, contemplating for a moment. "That's one of the most terrible stories I have ever heard." He said.

"But we still live, master." Kili said over his shoulder.

"Indeed you do." Bilbo replied. "I will do my best to make sure no one ever hurts you again."

"You have our thanks, master." Fili said, and he bowed low to Bilbo.

A few years later, Kili would be somewhat shattered again when Belladona died. Despite the fact that she was not family, and not even of the same race, he still loved her fiercely and was more than sad to see her pass away. Bilbo saw his distress and thought to do something to alleviate it, so he gave Kili a small lock of his mother's hair, and a small bag to keep around his neck to keep his trinkets in. Kili was grateful for Bilbo's kindness and happily put the lock, and his morbid tooth into the little bag and he keeps it close to his heart.

When Bilbo was forty-four, it was finally time for Bungo to pass away as well. Bungo left him everything, which included Bag End and two beloved dwarf servants. Lobelia Sackville-Baggins tried to make a fuss, but Bilbo said, "come now Lobelia, do you really want to deal with these dwarves?" They all knew the answer to this; Lobelia was scared out of her wits by the dwarves and would have nothing to do with them, so that was settled.

When Bilbo was of the age of fifty, he realized that Fili and Kili had been with him for twenty-seven years. The dwarves were not concerned with that. They seemed to be amazingly content. Life seemed to be just as it should be.

Then one day, a wizard by the name of Gandalf the Grey came to Bilbo. Fili was nearby working when he did, but the wizard paid him no mind. He asked Bilbo to go on an adventure, and the hobbit made a very hobbity joke about adventures making one late for dinner, which was a flat refusal. They did not see the wizard mark the door, nor could they ever predict what was going to happen next. Fili and Kili were about to be confronted with a past that they probably wish would have stayed there.

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Hello all! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing and for following and favoriteing. It is always appreciated. Thank you Frodo's Sister, acciojd, lovely guest and Isky for reviewing. Hopefully some of your questions are answered. Please let me know if there are anymore questions and I will try and answer. Thank you and cheers! And farewell to Andrew Lesnie, Cinematographer on the LOTR and Hobbit movies as well as many others. We shall miss thee! STS


	3. Chapter 3

Fly Away Little Birds Chapter 3

Bilbo was perfectly ready for a quiet night at home where he could enjoy himself in peace and perhaps enjoy some quiet conversation with Fili and Kili. Fili asked him what the wizard was there for, but Bilbo shut that subject down pretty quickly, as he did not want to talk about it. "Something about a damn adventure." He said absentmindedly to Fili. It was best not to press these things. There was a knock at the door that startled them all. Bilbo was more than a little exasperated. "Who could that be at this time of night?" He said in a weary tone. "Kili, go answer it, will you?"

Kili got up and went to the door. When he opened it, he saw someone he had never expected to see again. Dwalin, son of Fundin. And not far off was his brother, Balin. At first Kili didn't quite know what to do. The looks on everyone's faces upon this encounter must have been quite comical, and yet mystified. Bilbo called from the sitting room, "Kili, who is it?"

Dwalin was taken aback after hearing the name actually spoken. "Kili?" He said in disbelief.

"It's dwarves, master Bilbo." Kili said in a faltering voice.

Bilbo came into the entryway. "Dwarves? What do you mean dwarves?" When he reached the door and looked out, there were indeed, a couple of dwarves, and a bevy of them coming up the path. "What is the meaning of this?" Bilbo asked Dwalin.

Balin stepped in front of his brother to speak. "Pardon us, Balin and Dwalin, sons of Fundin, at your service. We were told by the wizard Gandalf to come here."

"He told you to come here, did he? Might have expected something like this from that crafty old codger. Sorry, I have no room for a plethora of dwarves."

"Please tell me one thing." Dwalin said. "Are the ones in your home called Fili and Kili?"

"They are." Bilbo said.

"I do not see how that can be. They are dead."

"And yet here they are, alive and well." Bilbo said.

"Please," said Balin. "let us come in, at least until Gandalf comes. We have traveled a very long way."

"Alright." Bilbo said despondently. "Come in and partake of our hospitality. I would not leave travel weary folk on the doorstep. Especially if they had been told to come here by a conniving wizard."

Bilbo turned and went back to the sitting room. Kili ushered the dwarves in and took their things. They cooked for the dwarves, served the dwarves, and did everything they could for the dwarves. They were old acquaintances and formerly trusted friends. Balin and Dwalin. Ori, Dori and Nori. Bifur Bofur and Bombur. Oin and Gloin. All of them wished to speak to Fili and Kili, but Kili had gone silent and Fili had followed suit. After everyone was settled, Fili and Kili disappeared into the kitchen and stayed there as the dwarves pondered their condition.

"They died, didn't they?" Ori said. "That's what they told us."

"But it is undeniable," Dwalin said. "Those are Fili and Kili."

"How on Middle Earth did they come to be here?" Bofur asked.

The question was directed at Bilbo, but he was not sure if he should tell them just yet. "Strange circumstances brought them to me. That is all I can say for now."

"Are they your slaves?" Balin asked. "I heard Kili call you master."

There was a tense moment. Bilbo thought he should again, tread lightly. "They have been with me for twenty-seven years. They were bought by my father from some inscrutable people."

"Twenty-seven years..."Gloin said.

"Inscrutable people?" Ori said.

"It is a long story." Bilbo said.

"I am sure it is," Balin said.

There was another knock at the door. Both Fili and Kili walked across the sitting room to go and open it. Kili had tried to steel himself for what he knew was eventually coming. Fili had to be there with him for when it did. Kili opened the door, and there were Thorin with Therien and Gandalf. Kili stared for a moment, but he could say nothing. Bilbo had come out into the hall and watched the wordless exchange. In the end, Kili faltered and turned away silently, walking away. He took Fili's shoulder and led him away until they had both retreated down the hallway and into their cellar. The look on both dwarves' faces was one of astonishment. It told Bilbo that these were the ones who had betrayed Fili and Kili. Their uncle and cousin.

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When all the dwarves were dealt with and somewhat settled, Bilbo went down o check on Fili and Kili. The look on Fili's face when Bilbo saw him was one of pure rage. Kili, on the other hand, simply looked confused, and he clasped his little pouch of treasures tightly, as if they would protect him. "So those are the ones who betrayed you?" Bilbo asked.

"Yes master." Fili said. "Thorin and Therien. The King Under the Mountain and his son. The question is, why are they here? Or this some evil turn of fate?"

"I have asked them. Thorin tells me that they have come to reclaim a mountain from a dragon...They presented me with a contract. They want to have me as a burglar. I must say that I was a little incensed by that. I am no thief. Just because I am small and quick doesn't mean I want to sneak into some dragon's den and steal things from under his lizard nose! Give me credit for having a little sense, dwarf king!"

"But you were not chosen by Thorin, were you?" Fili asked.

"No. This is all Gandalf's fault. _He_ chose me for this. What does he think I am, some sort of ignoramus?"

"So you won't go, master?" Kili piped up.

"No indeed. It's ridiculous. Respectable hobbits don't go on adventures."

"Sorry to ask an odd sort of question, master." Fili said. "But when did you become respectable? And since when have you cared?"

Bilbo stared at him for a moment. Fili was afraid he had made Bilbo angry. When the hobbit started to laugh, Fili knew it was alright.

"Alright Fili. Do you want to go?" Bilbo said.

"There are some things I need to discuss with Thorin. This may be my only chance. I wouldn't mind going."

"And you Kili?"

Kili shrugged. "Why not?" He said meekly.

"I guess that's settled then. This unrespectable hobbit and his two dwarf servants are going on an adventure."

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Okay ladies and gents. A short one to hold you over. Some time in a future chapter, we will talk about the time when things weren't so good for Fili and Kili, but that will be sometime down the road. Thank you to those who favorited and followed. Thank you to reviewers Love it, Isky, Mjean, Wolfrain 5898 and Celebrisilweth. Reviews are always appreciated. Anyway, do you think Bilbo is a little out of character? I don't know. Anyway, let me know. Thank you, and cheers! STS


	4. Chapter 4

Fly Away Little Birds Chapter 4

Fili and Kili made ready to venture forth on a journey with those that they hated. Those who had betrayed them, their uncle and their cousin. In all truth, they certainly blamed Therien more than they ever blamed Thorin. Thorin certainly wasn't innocent in this, but most of the blame went to Therien. Fili wanted nothing more than to bash him in the face. If he could do it just once, he might be satisfied. Kili Didn't care about revenge though. All he cared about was what was happening and what was going to happen. He was worried about Fili's unpredictability, and the chance that Bilbo would allow him to indulge in it.

Worry would wait until later though. Now it was time for preparation. Fili and Kili stayed in their cellar because they did not belong in the house. It was not their place. They were perfectly happy in their cellar though, that place where they had first been placed. Even though they had to share it with a plethora of extra things like spare furniture and what have you, they had cozy little beds and bins in which to place their few meager belongings. It was their place.

Kili went through his bin and brought out something that surprised Fili. "Where did you get a bow and arrows?"

Kili shrugged, "made them. Been practicing with them for a while."

"We're not supposed to have weapons."

"We're not supposed to do a lot of things. Doesn't mean that we don't do them."

"True enough," Fili said. He reached under the bed and pulled something out, a long bundle that he chucked over to Kili. "You'll need this."

Kili uncovered it. "Where did you get a sword?"

"Kili, I've been making tools for some twenty years. You don't imagine I'd make other stuff as well?"

"Ah...Stupid me."

Fili had made two for both of them, but Kili insisted that he only needed one and that maybe Fili should offer the other one to Bilbo. Bilbo was a bit taken aback by it as well. "Where did you get swords?"

Fili gave a long sigh. "Made them master."

Bilbo wasn't angry, however he didn't want the sword. Fili figured he had better bring it along anyway, so he packed it in his things.

They set out the next morning with the company of dwarves. As they rode, Balin tried on more than one occasion to engage with the two young dwarves, but again, they had gone silent. When they reached the Brandywine bridge, Fili told them that under no circumstances would he and Kili be going through Breeland. Nobody argued with him. Fili and Kili followed the river, crossed the foothills, went around the back of the Lone Lands, and after some being lost, they finally found the company again in the Trollshaws. Fili and Kili had never been to the Trollshaws before, but Kili had no doubt that it would live up to it's namesake. For the moment though, the path was free of trolls and they moved through the forest without trouble.

For the most part, Bilbo had been silent as well, but for very different reasons. He had never been further than Frogmorton, and this whole adventure thing has him looking everywhere, for everything was new and wonderful. It wasn't long though before one of the dwarves, Bofur, had sidled along beside and was asking him questions.

"So how does a hobbit come across two dwarf slaves?" He asked somewhat bluntly, and yet the smile told Bilbo that it was okay to talk to this dwarf, and that he would understand everything. When he was done telling Bofur what he could, the dwarf said, "ah, I see. In Ered Luin, we knew that they had been banished, and we knew that they had been taken. All the evidence suggested that they were dead. Thorin said we should not look anymore. It didn't matter. If they were dead, they were dead."

"Rather cruel of him, wasn't it?" Bilbo asked.

"I suppose. But they did attack the prince."

"They told me that was a lie."

"Of course they did. It may or may not be true. Nobody knows. Only Therien and Ondra know anything." Bofur said with a shrug.

"Who's Ondra?" Bilbo asked.

"Thorin's wife."

"He's married?" Bilbo said in surprise.

"He was married. She died a few years ago. Midwives told her not to try for another child, she got pregnant anyway. Both she and the baby died."

"I'm sorry." Bilbo said.

"So it goes. You win some, you lose some," Bofur said with a little wink. Somehow, Bilbo could tell that he liked this dwarf.

"So why is it, if you're such good friends with Fili and Kili, that they're still slaves?"

"Interesting story." Bilbo said. "You see, even though we have always assured people in the Shire that the dwarves are harmless, the hobbits still don't trust them and see them as dubious figures. More than once I have heard talk in the village about how dwarves can't be trusted and that we should get rid of those two dwarves. If only they weren't someone's property. Most of this was instigated by the Sackville-Bagginses. You see, they hate me because they have always wanted the prestige of being true Bagginses instead of some offshooting. They would love to get their greedy little hands on Bag End and everything I have. I was assured that if Fili and Kili were every freed, Lobelia and Lotho would make it so that they would have to be expelled from The Shire. They couldn't go back to Ered Luin. If the brigands of Bree had ever encountered them again, they could reclaim them as lost or stolen property, and they would probably kill them. The only option would be to travel South through hard lands, and that's no safe road for them. So they stay with me."

"Ah!" Bofur said. "That does in fact explain everything."

"Indeed it does." Bilbo said. Now he could see how much he really cared for his two dwarves.

They camped that night in the forest. Everyone was taking their leisure as Fili and Kili had gone off to gather wood or tend the ponies or something. When they came back, Fili had a smile on his face. The sort of smile that had always made Bilbo nervous. Thorin was over talking with Balin and Dwalin when the two returned, and glanced over in their direction. He noticed that Fili was smiling. "You have something to report, Fili?"

"Not much, sir. It's a lovely night. Oh, and there are a few trolls trying to eat your ponies."

Thorin stared at him wide eyed for a moment, and then swung into action, gathering the other dwarves to go fight the trolls. Fili and Kili did not join them, and Bilbo hung back as well. The smile was still bright upon Fili's face. When the sound of fighting came, Bilbo rolled his eyes. "You just had to do that, didn't you?"

The hobbit rushed into the forest, and the two dwarves followed after. The others had been captured, and the trolls were quite ready to eat them. Bilbo was waiting on the edge of the clearing when the two dwarves joined him. "We really should go out there." the hobbit said.

"I don't know," Fili said. "Do we really want to, Kili?"

"I don't know if we really want to, but we really should!" Bilbo said, exasperated.

"Alright." Fili said as he drew his sword. Kili had his bow at the ready and began filling the trolls with arrows as Fili moved amongst them with his sword, the trolls were madly trying to get to both him and Kili, but the three of them made a good team as Bilbo aimed a few good rocks at a few large heads. They didn't accomplish the killing of trolls, but they did create enough of a distraction for Gandalf to arrive.

Thorin was livid when he was finally set free. He marched over to Fili with a mad glare in his eyes. Fili thought the dwarf king might try to hit him, but Thorin did not. "Your actions could have gotten us all killed!"

Fili merely smirked and said, "good riddance to bad rubbish."

"You really are a pathetic little bastard aren't you?"

"No, I'm a son of Durin, for all the good it's done me. It's you and your foul son that are the slimy murdering bastards."

Thorin looked more than astonished now. Therien was with him now, and he stepped up in front of Fili. "You apologize to my father now, slave."

"No, I don't think so. I think it's about time that you be told what you are."

Thorin looked over at Bilbo, "you're going to let him speak to us like this?"

"Actually I'm finding this quite amusing," said the hobbit. "I kind of want to see how it ends."

Fili continued on. "You sentences me and Kili to a fate worse than death. Killing us would have been kinder. But oh no. You're a coward, and you deserve no respect." He turned on Therien. "And you. The puppet of your bitch mother."

"Don't you call her that!" Therien cried.

"Oh no? She hated us. Was she happy when she thought we were dead?"

"We all were." Therien retorted. "And it would seem like you're living the good life anyway."

"The good life?" Fili said. "Let me show you what you did."

Fili hauled up his shirt to reveal something that made them all gasp. A patchwork of scars and marks left over from years of abuse. "I would ask Kili to show you his, but he really doesn't want to."

Kili bowed his head and shrunk into the trees a little bit.

"Are you happy?" Fili said.

"I..."Thorin began.

"No! You're saying nothing. If things were different, I would punch you in the face. But they're not, so I'll do the next best thing." He made a fist and punched Therien hard in the jaw. They young dwarf fell. "There." Fili said. "Now I've hit him."

Fili stormed off into the woods, saying to Bilbo as he passed, "we can go home now."

To say that Fili was angry would have been an understatement. He went and punched a tree several times. He only accomplished hurting himself as he shook his hand, but he tried to convince himself that it had felt good. Bilbo had come after him and asked him somewhat wearily, "you alright?"

"Are you angry with me? Do I deserve punishment?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"I hit him. I didn't mean to do that."

"Yes you did. Don't lie to yourself, Fili."

"Is Kili alright?" Fili asked, feeling guilty now.

"He'll live, if Thorin's evil eye doesn't bore right through him."

"We can go home now," Fili said. "If you want."

"No. We must go forward. I think it will be better for you than you think, Fili."

"If you wish to go on, I will go with you."

"Then on we shall go." Said Bilbo.

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This is chapter 4, I hope you like it and it's not too weird...lol...If it is, you can totally tell me. Anyway, thank you so much for following and favoriting. Isky I hope this answered some of your questions, I love filling plot holes, hahaha! Thank you Celebrisilweth, Dojoson41, Middle Earth Musketeers, Midnight Blood, and all ya'all for reading and reviewing. Hope you keep reading and enjoying. Feedback is always useful, and check out my other stuff if you feel like it. Cheers all!


	5. Chapter 5

Fly Away Little Birds Chapter 5

While Bilbo did not think that Fili needed any punishment for his little outburst, Thorin was of a different opinion. Fili had (barely) hurt his son. It was Thorin's job as Therien's father, and as the future King Under The Mountain to see that "justice" was done. Bilbo refused at first, but was then reminded that he himself was an employee, and could be dismissed at any time. It was not Gandalf's place to interfere in such things, so he did not. At first the other dwarves did not want to take part in this, but Thorin took Dwalin aside.

"I know you are conflicted about this, and I know that you may not want to do this, but it must be done. I am King and Therien is your prince. Fili and Kili are almost nameless slaves. They mean nothing and are not even dwarves anymore. If you are loyal to me, you will do your duty, as you always have."

In the end, Dwalin could not refuse Thorin. Dwalin took a good sized stick, and then took Fili into the nearby wood where nothing could be seen. When they came back, Fili looked uncomfortable, and so it was clear that something had occurred, but he assured Kili and Bilbo that he had had worse. If anything, he was just more angry. Not at Dwalin, for it was not his choice. His anger was at Thorin and his pathetic son. Fili wondered if he would ever get the chance to murder them, but it was just a passing fancy.

Since there were no more ponies, the company had to carry everything from then on. It only made sadistic sense that Fili and Kili would be given the most to carry. Still they assured Bilbo that they had had worse. If anything it was more a wound to one's pride and ego than anything. Dwalin tried to apologize to Fili on more than one occasion on the walk, and finally Fili assured him that he knew it was not the older dwarf's fault. Thorin had thrashed Dwalin with his sense of loyalty, and so the dwarf was not at fault. Still, it was clear that the elder dwarf felt guilty.

Over the course of the walk through the Trollshaws, there were several attempts made to mend fences. Bofur, Bombur, Ori, Dori, Nori, Bifur (on occasion), Oin and Gloin (even less) and Balin and Dwalin (only the slightest bit) were all engages in the enterprise. Fili and Kili would talk to them when they felt like it. Whenever Thorin and Therien were around, they spoke to no one. It was clear that even the presence of Bilbo, their master, could not protect Fili and Kili if Thorin chose to go off again. Kili was very worried about Fili, for at this point it was clear that his hatred went deeper, and that that made him even more unpredictable than Kili had thought. Bilbo had noticed it too, and the other dwarves were wary, probably hoping Fili wouldn't cut their throats as they slept.

So Kili and Bilbo kept a good watch on him. All seemed well until Gandalf met with his friend Radagast the Brown. The wizard had brought bad news. Strange things were happening, and now the company of Thorin Oakenshield was caught up in it. Then the orcs came, and despite the best efforts of the wizard to lead them off, he was unsuccessful, and the dwarves were on the run. In all truth, dwarves don't run very fast. Short and sturdy, they were not really made for running, but standing and fighting an enemy head on.

So for the first time, Thorin looked to Kili for help. He could use his bow to pick some of them off, and so he did. But as they ran, Therien fell, as he was a clumsy dwarf as well as having no propriety. Seeing the orcs bear down his fallen cousin, Kili stepped out from the crevasse Gandalf had led them to and took up a position in front of the fallen dwarf, shooting as Thorin helped his son get to safety. Kili barely made it into the cavern before a massive warg lunged at the opening. Then the sounds of battle. The elves had come to their rescue. And the crevasse led to Imladris.

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The hobbit and his two dwarves may have been the only three people who were comfortable in Rivendell. The other dwarves seemed to have an aversion to elves, something that the two young dwarves had gotten over a very long time ago. Elves often passed through The Shire on their way to the Grey Havens. Even now, they were leaving Middle Earth. So every so often, The three adventurers would meet elves while in the bog or around the Bindhole Wood. They actually seemed to be nice enough people.

The other dwarves had kept their Xenophobic attitude though and would barely warm up to the elves who had so clearly saved them. Fili and Kili made It their duty to talk to as many elves as possible. Even Elrond himself took an interest in the two young dwarves. One day he found them near the library, talking to one of the servants in his house. He decided it was time to talk to them, so he went to them. The servant bowed and left them.

"I am Elrond Half-Elven, the leader of the elves here in Imladris. May I ask who you are, young sirs?"

Fili said, "I am Fili, and my brother is Kili. We are at your service." They both bowed to him.

"Are you now?" Said the elf in an amused voice.

"We are indeed, sir."

"You are not with the other dwarves. You are not even like the other dwarves. I do not mean to offend, it is just a mere observation."

"Actually we take it as a complement, master Elrond." Fili said.

"Your brother is very quiet."

"He has a hard time with new people. But if you stay and talk for a while, he may open up."

"I will stay then," Elrond said. "And we shall talk."

Fili and Kili found themselves sitting in the library talking amiably with Elrond for some time. Kili did warm up to Elrond and actually found the elf quite amusing. It was clear to Elrond that these dwarves were very different. They were friendly and respectful and willing to talk. However, they way they acted and the way they spoke made him wonder many thing about them.

"You are dwarves, yet you are the most undwarvish dwarves I have ever encountered. Your story takes you away from the realms and culture of the dwarves. Why is this?"

"It is a very long story," Fili said. "And it would take forever to tell it. Just know that we are not our own masters, but for twenty-seven years, we did find some peace."

"After great suffering I would assume?" Elrond said.

"Yes." Kili said. "After great suffering."

"Well unfortunately I have forever, but Thorin Oakenshield is restless. He wants me to read the runes upon that map for him." Elrond said as he rose to leave them.

"If I were you, I would burn the map." Fili said with a slight smirk.

"I do not especially care for Thorin Oakenshield, but I would not sabotage him in that way." Elrond said. "That map is part of his legacy."

"His legacy be damned!" Fili said.

"You hate him that much?" Elrond asked worriedly.

"He betrayed us." Fili said. "We were family and he betrayed us. He continues to betray us."

"Family?" Elrond said.

"Uncle," Kili said.

"Ah, I see." Elrond said. "Perhaps you are justified, but a path such as this leads often to sorrow. I would say you should forgive. Forgive him and you will find your own peace as well."

"It is easier said than done." Fili said.

"True enough." The elf said. "It would do your heart good though. Believe me. I know."

Elrond gave them a final nod, and then was gone. Fili contemplated his words, but still, the thought of forgiveness did not sit well with him, at least for the moment. Kili, on the other hand, was more than ready to bury the hatchet, so to say. Fili just wanted to bury the hatchet in someone's head. Why was he so angry? Maybe he should consider it, just to give himself some relief.

Soon though, Thorin had made another bad decision and they were sneaking out of Imladris to the despair of Fili, Kili and Bilbo. The three of them knew that this was not going to end well.

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Hm, in some ways this just gets grimmer and grimmer. And maybe Fili will kill somebody (or at least kick their asses) in the next little while. And in a couple of chapters, were gonna explore why Kili didn't speak! So if you like fun, stay tuned! Thank you to all who favorited and followed! Thank you to Celebrisilweth, dojoson41, KHB123, brynpetals and Middle Earth Musketeers for reviewing. It's always appreciated. Alright, cheers! STS


	6. Chapter 6

Fly Away Little Birds Chapter 6

Thorin had made the decision to leave Rivendell and travel to the Misty Mountains to the East. The Only other way to get over the mountains would have been the pass of Caradras or through Moria, and only the insane would go through Moria. It was a hard trek over narrow paths. However this wasn't even the hardest part of the journey over the mountains. The paths got more treacherous the further one went. Fili and Kili were burdened with the most again, so they had the most to worry about. But rest came soon enough when Thorin decided to stop for the night under a rocky ledge.

It was actually nice that night, the sky clear as Fili gazed out from under the ledge. He had not noticed that Thorin and Therien had gone off somewhere, and if the others had, they probably figured it would be best to just let things happen between them, as Thorin was angry about something and the two had to have words. Fili and Kili had been sitting together after Kili had helped Bombur cook a fabulous meal for them. All of the other dwarves were surprise that Kili could cook.

"You should have had him cook earlier," Bilbo said. "Kili's an expert."

"How did this happen?" Bofur asked.

"He got into cooking when he came to the Shire." Fili said. "He actually carries around more cooking supplies than Bombur. I am surprised that he hasn't been raided yet."

Bombur looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. "A joke," Fili told him. Bombur began to laugh and they all joined in.

Sometime later, Fili had been sitting next to his brother, humming a song, but Kili had fallen asleep and was now heavy upon his shoulder. He rose, laying Kili down carefully and went off to have a look at the stars again. He wandered some way away from the camp along the rocky outcroppings when suddenly he heard voices. It was Thorin and Therien, and they appeared to have been talking for some long time. Fili knew he shouldn't listen, but he couldn't help himself. It seemed that the two were getting to something important in their conversation.

"We should be over the mountains in a day or so." Therien said.

"You imagine so?" Thorin said.

"I have looked at the maps, it would seem that the timeline is correct."

"Therien, we are a reasonably large company hauling a good amount of gear. I think you over-estimate our abilities." Thorin said. "Perhaps three and a half days."

"Maybe we can redouble our efforts. You heard what the elf said. We have until Durin's Day to get to the mountain. If we do not reach it, we may lose our chance."

"I know Therien." Thorin said. "But I cannot push them past their abilities. No, on these narrow passes, we can move no faster."

There was a moment of silence, as if the conversation might be over. Then Thorin said, "tell me son, is what Fili said true? Are you responsible for their current condition?"

Therien smiled and said, "of course, father. Me and mother made this all possible. However, they are suppose to be dead. Those cretins said that they would get rid of them for me. I'll never trust their kind again."

Thorin did something that neither Therien nor Fili expected. He slapped Therien hard across the face. "How could you? How could you do that? It wasn't enough to have them banished, you had to kill them too!?"

"You're the one that banished them, father."

"I had no choice. They assaulted the son of the king. I could not let that stand. I would never subject them to what you have." Thorin thought for a moment, a mere moment of contemplation before he realized the truth. "They didn't assault you, did they?"

"No." Therien sneered. "Mother did. She said I had to get rid of them so that you would never favor them over me. That I was an idiot and you had already chosen Fili to rule after you. So we arranged to make it so that they would never return, even if you forgave them. She knew you would cave, so we took care of it!"

Thorin slapped Therien again. "How could you be such an idiot? So easily manipulated? I will admit that I was unaware of many of the things that were happening at the house. I was gone quite a bit and that I neglected my duties at home. I had no idea that she so hated Fili and Kili, however I should have realized after she kicked them out, and after she let my sister die that she was somewhat devious. I was held in her sway as well. I trusted her and her word merely because she was taking care of the household and I loved her so dearly that I could not see. But you...I will admit that these are all bad excuses, but nothing compares to the evil you have done. The evil that can never be undone. Fili and Kili will never trust us again."

"Who needs their trust. Hopefully after the beating that we gave Fili, we will at least have their obedience."

"I would not have done it," Thorin said. "I would not have done it, but I must maintain order and rule amongst the company. They must see me as strong, and allowing a slave to hit my son without repercussions does not paint me as strong. I had no other choice."

"The company will follow you, Father because it is their duty." Therien said.

"Duty?" Thorin said. "You think they do this out of mere duty? No, they are coming with me because they know that this may be their last chance. I may be their king, but I am not their only reason. They know if they do not take this chance, the dwarves may never have a home."

"Their loyalty to you will make this venture a success, Father."

"In all truth, it is a fool's errand. Our success is certainly not assured. We have not numbers or great strength, just mere conviction."

"Mere conviction?"

"We are twelve dwarves, a hobbit and his two slaves. What hope do you think we have?" Thorin said in a frustrated tone."

"But we are heirs of Durin, Father. Our bloodline is strong."

"Is it? Therien, we are the last of our house. A dying bloodline, the last of a proud heritage. Our race is waning as well. Dwarves are not multiplying as they should be. No, Therien. This is our last chance to give our people a home before we pass from this world."

"Why bring me? I am your only heir. If you die, isn't it wise that you should leave me to carry on in your footsteps?"

"So what? You are a coward now too?"

Therien was taken aback.

"You are my son, a child of the dying line of Durin. It is only fitting that if I die, you should die by my side."

"I'm sorry, Father."

"Are you? When this is over, I will have Balin draw up another contract. It will give Fili and Kili their freedom. I will have the hobbit sign it and Fili and Kili will stay with us at Erebor."

"What?"

"I will not have my sister's sons, heirs of the line of Durin living as slaves in The Shire. It would be unthinkable."

"What if the hobbit refuses to sign?"

"What makes you think I am giving him a choice in the matter. Fili and Kili are staying with us and that is final."

Fili could not believe what they were saying. Thorin was going to make Bilbo sign a contract to set he and Kili free? It was not right. And what if he and Kili did not want to stay there after all was said and done? What if they wanted to go home, for The Shire was their home? Would they be forced to stay there? Prisoners again under slightly different conditions? He would chew on this for a while and decide tomorrow what to do.

The journey on was difficult the next day because there was rain, the path was slippery, and everyone almost fell at least once on the path. There was also a fight going on with some stone giants, but in the end, they all made it to a safe cave where they were protected. Thorin put Bofur on watch and told everyone to sleep. Fili wasn't interested in sleeping though. He took Kili and Bilbo to the back of the cave and told them what he had heard and his concerns. Kili was mortified and Bilbo was incensed. "How dare he think he can just make me do things!" He said as loudly as he could without waking anyone.

"I don't want to stay with them..." Kili said. "I want to go home after this."

"Maybe there will be no after this," Bilbo said. "Maybe we should leave right now."

Fili and Kili were in agreement. They all carefully gathered their things and made for the entrance.

Bofur wasn't going to let them go without letting them know he was there. "Where are you going?" He asked.

"Back to Rivendell, and then home." Bilbo said. "Thorin may not realize this, but Fili, Kili and I are family. He can't make me do things nor can he make my friends do things."

Fili looked at Kili who was slightly taken aback. Bilbo had never used the word "family" before. They were family? Fili felt his love for the hobbit grow. Yes, they were family. Bofur was confused.

"What's all this about?"

"I won't let your king take my friends away from me. Good luck Bofur."

The dwarf was still confused. However he was even more confused when he saw the sword that Bilbo had taken from the troll cave light up blue. "What's that?"

Suddenly, everyone was awakened by the floor opening up. They all fell through the opening, Fili, Kili and Bilbo included. Soon they were surrounded by goblins and were chained and taken away. They were inside the mountain on rickety scaffolding in dimly lit caverns. The goblins were pushing and shoving them, and finally they came out in a great dais, and before them was one of the ugliest toad-like creatures that Bilbo had ever seen. It glared at the group and shook it's ugly neck pouch. The Goblin King was now before them.

"Who are these miserable persons?!" He called out loudly.

"Dwarves," said one of the goblins. "And this." It said, pulling Bilbo's chain so that he fell forward onto his knees. Fili so wanted to come to his aid, but he was being well restrained.

"There are a couple of other things you should see." A goblin said. Thorin was pulled forward from the dwarven group. His sword was thrown at the kings feet.

"Thorin Oakenshield? Tell me, dwarf, what brings you to my domain?"

"Mere chance. But we would gladly leave if you give us the chance."

"Such a smart mouth on our King Under the Mountain. I know someone who's been looking for you. A great white orc riding a great pale warg."

"That is not possible. Azog is no more. He died long ago."

"Yes," the goblin said. "You'd like to believe that wouldn't you."

"It's true! Isn't it? Dane and I killed him!" Thorin didn't want to believe that monster was still out there.

"Sadly, the orc is still out there, and he wants you, Thorin Oakenshield. So we will send word to him that we have found that which he seeks."

The goblin hopped down from his great throne. "What is this that you carry?" He asked. He started to pull the sword out of it's sheath and immediately shrank back. "Orcrist! The Goblin Cleaver!" He cried. "Murderers! Elf friends!"

"Elf friends?' Thorin said. "Surely you jest."

"This is how much I jest. Bring me that small creature!" He cried. The goblin went back to his throne as the others brought Bilbo forward. Again, Fili and Kili struggled against the goblins but could not break free. They held Bilbo up close to the goblin's face.

"What are you? You do not look like a dwarf." The creature ran its big nose up Bilbo's face, making the hobbit cringe. "You do not smell like a dwarf. Surely you are one of the Shirelings from the lands to the West."

Bilbo struggled, trying to get away from the creatures holding him. Inches away from his face, foul breath upon Bilbo's face the creature said, "why is a Shire rat amongst this group of elf loving dwarves?"

"I will tell you nothing!" Bilbo cried. "Let me go!"

The creature grabbed his jaw in a painful grip. "Tell me what I want to know, rabbit, or I'll have them cut off those furry feet."

"Stop it!" Fili yelled.

"Silence you!" said the goblin who elbowed him in the gut.

"No. I grow tired of this creature." He pushed Bilbo away. "Throw him over the edge!"

"NO!" Kili cried as he tried to break free once more. They hauled Bilbo over to a ledge that led to a sheer drop. There was nothing anybody could do. The goblins heaved Bilbo over the side, to everyone's despair. Especially that of Fili and Kili.

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Hello all! This is chapter 6, and I hope you enjoy it. Trying to mash up book-verse and movie-verse, so hopefully you like that a bit. Thorin is trying to come back a bit, but he may still be failing on so many levels. Thanks for following and favoriting, always appreciated. Thank you to dojoson41, Isky, Noxy the Proxy, Middle Earth Musketeers, KHB123, and Celebrisilweth for the reviews. You keep coming back, and I am very thankful for that. I am thinking of posting a link to a song on my profile page that goes with the Fili character for chapters 4and 5. Apparently you can't copy and paste from a story, but you can do so for a profile page, so I will post that there soon. It's one Supernatural fans will probably appreciate as well. Hopefully that works. Tell me what you think and thank you! STS


	7. Chapter 7

Fly Away Little Birds Chapter 7

****warning, disturbing imagery and language ahead. Not rateing raising but still possibly disturbing so read at your own risk** **(just thought I should put the warning out there. This actually happens mid chapter, there will be another warning below).

Bilbo fell from that place, and never expected to open his eyes again. When he did, he was utterly astounded. He knew that he should have died, that the fall should have killed him. For some reason, it had not. He was alive and relatively unhurt. And somehow his sword Sting had followed him on the way down. They must have wanted to rid themselves of any trace of him. Or maybe he had had it the whole time and had merely forgotten it in his fear. It was there and he was glad for it. What he faced now was an odd sort of creature with spindly legs, pale skin, bulbous eyes, and a grating voice.

Bilbo was afraid of this creature, but he had to speak with it. He had to find a way out of these caverns and it was possible that this creature knew the way. That was, if the creature did not eat him first. He could tell the creature really wanted to. Instead, Bilbo challenges him to a game of riddles, if he won the creature was to show him out. If he lost, the creature smiled insidiously and said that it would eat him whole. The conditions seemed fair enough, and the challenge began.

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Bilbo was gone, and all the dwarves could do was stand there and stare in astonishment. Fili and Kili were almost weeping in their distress, and for some reason, Thorin wished he could console them, but in this situation he could not. The disgusting goblin smirked at them. "Do you see how easily I can destroy what is not useful to me anymore, Thorin Oakenshield?" It said with an wicked lick of its lips. "I am sure that the orc probably wants you intact so that he may dismember you for himself. However, that does not encompass the rest of your company. Let me show you what we do to murderers and elf friends. That one." He said as he pointed straight at Therien. The great goblin hefted back up to his throne as they made ready to bring Therien forth. They could not though because Kili was there, standing in their way.

"No," he said. "Do not waste your time with him. He is nothing. I am Thorin's nephew. Take me instead." Kili said.

Fili was beyond shocked. "Kili, don't do this."

The goblin considered this for a moment. "Bring me that one!" He cried. They brought Kili to him. The goblin looked Kili straight in the eye, looking for fear or any kind of give, but there was none. "This one is special." The goblin said. He saw the ghost of a scar creeping over Kili's shoulder from where his jacket had been slightly pulled away. "Take off his jacket and tunic, there is something I must see!" So the goblins began to undress Kili.

_No, _thought Fili. _They'll know he's lying if they see the scars. _It was too late though. Upon a moments examination, the goblin knew the truth. "This is no prince, this is a slave. And I assume that he is protecting a prince. The first one that I called for, bring him to me as well." The goblins did. The Goblin King looked at Kili thoughtfully, as thoughtfulness goes with goblins. "So loyal to try and protect your prince. I wonder if someday, you will be that loyal to me when you have slaved in these caves for the rest of your short life and have only me to please? You have saved no one, silly dwarf." Kili said nothing to him. He could not stop what was about to happen, so he went silent.

While Kili was used to enduring a sound whipping, and had experienced it on more than one occasion, Therien was not at all accustomed to such things and was giving the goblins what they wanted with all the noise he was producing. Thorin may have wanted to help them, may have tried to get to them, but most of the guards were now attending to him. This gave Fili a bit of an opening. With one great burst of strength, he broke free and went to Kili and Therien and threw himself over both of them in an act of protection. This actually hurt quite a bit, as he had landed upon where they were wounded, but Kili appreciated the gesture.

"Stop it!" Fili cried. "All of you, STAY BACK!"

And for a moment, the goblins did step away, startled by the aggressive tone used by the dwarf. Soon they had advanced again and started to hit Fili instead, as he still lay on top of Kili and Therien. Then, there was the light. A bright flash as Gandalf appeared. He called to them that they should take up arms and fight. Fili righted himself, helped to get Kili and Therien to their feet, and they ran as fast as they could. Fili didn't really care about fighting at the moment. His brother was wounded. He had to get Kili (and for some strange reason Therien) out of there. So they both leaned on him as he followed Gandalf and Thorin closely, for Fili knew they would stand the best chance if they were near to Gandalf. The arrows flew at them, the swords threatened to pierce them, but Fili did what he could to protect both of them as they made their escape.

A final confrontation with the Goblin King was short and somewhat anti-climactic, however, Fili didn't care. They were almost out, and that was all that mattered. He could see the light at the end of the tunnel, so he tried to heft the two wounded dwarves as quickly as he could toward that light until they finally tumbled out onto the mountainside.

They had made it down the hill and Gandalf was counting them. "Where's our hobbit?" He asked.

"They threw him over a ledge." Thorin said. "He is dead."

Gandalf looked shattered, and Fili helped Kili and Therien down, and then he began to weep himself. "It's not fair." He said. "It's just not right."

"I am sorry for your pain." Thorin said to him, "and I must thank you again for saving my son. But this means that you are free now. Free to come with us."

"What, so we can go from being slaves to being virtual prisoners? I don't think so. When Kili is a little better off, we are going back."

"What do you mean by that? Prisoners? We would not keep you prisoner." Thorin said.

"Really? I heard what you said. That you were going to make Bilbo sign those papers to free us and we would have to stay with you. I don't want to stay with you. Neither does Kili. We want to go home!"

Thorin was really confused. "But Erebor would be your home."

"No. Erebor would be your home." Fili said. "We would be mere imposters there. We are no princes, no dwarves of honor. We are what we are, nothing more nothing less."

"Well you're not exactly hobbits either." Therien said, forgetting that Fili had helped to save him.

"No, you're right." Fili said. "We're not hobbits, and we're not dwarves. Then are we nothing? Have we no place at all? I suppose not..."

Kili reached up and took Fili's hand. "It's alright Fili. We'll get along okay."

Fili squeezed his hand. "That we will, brother. That we will."

"Well it would seem that you've all buried me already." A familiar voice said from behind them. Bilbo stepped out of the trees and came to Fili's side. "Thorin's not going to make anyone do what they don't want to do. Isn't that right Thorin?" Bilbo gave him a look. Thorin nodded.

"No, you will have to do nothing you do not wish to do." Thorin said.

"As for you not being hobbits," Bilbo said. "Mother would probably beg to differ. She fed you up like hobbits, didn't she?"

Kili chuckled. A howl sounded from the nearby hill. Wargs were out there, which meant that the hunt was on. Fili helped Kili while Thorin helped Therien along. Helping the wounded dwarves down the hill was one thing, but when Fili had to help heft them into trees, that was another. He helped Therien to jump up into a tree, and then lifted Kili up, but when he tried to jump himself, there was a warg there, and it bit into his ankle. He gave a loud cry, and Kili grabbed his hand, helping to haul him upward. The warg released its hold, and Fili had escaped for the moment, but the bite was quite bad, and there was nothing to be done with it at the moment.

Then, the orc was there, Azog the Defiler. Thorin looked on in horror. This monster was supposed to be dead, yet here he stood, as alive as anything. It began to speak to him. The only thing anyone could really make out was, "Thorin, Thrain and Thror", the patriarchs of Thorin's recent line. Thorin felt he had no other choice than to fight this creature and end this now. He was not exactly confident as he stepped down from those branches, however, he felt that he must. The orc attacked, and Thorin was thrown aside. There was only one thing to do.

Bilbo, Therien and Dwalin came to his rescue. Fili and Kili could not, for now they were both wounded and would only get in the way. When the eagles came, they were taken away together, and were glad when they knew that all had escaped. Everyone would live, but now they needed to find a place to rest and heal. Off In the distance from where the eagles had dropped them off, they could just see the shadow of the mountain.

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Beorn was an odd sort of creature. When they arrived at his house, he had actually tried to kill them, but that really didn't matter. They needed a place to recover and rest, and Gandalf said it was safe. Beorn was a massive creature, so everything in his house was quite large. It was comfortable enough though, and everyone was taken care of. Fili needed to rest for a while, as the bite on his leg was not severe, but it was no laughing matter either. Thorin said that they could take some time before they started out again and gave them three days. So Fili took care of Kili, as he always had done, and Bilbo made sure that they were both tended to by Oin, who knew his way around medicines. Therien and Thorin were looked after first, but that was to be expected.

Fili had been sleeping soundly that last night at Beorn's house when he realized that Kili was not there with him. The very sensation of being alone had woken him. It was the first time that had ever happened, so he thought he had better go and have a look and see if Kili was alright. He got up and left the little room where they all slept and crept out to the main room. He saw Kili sitting near the fireplace, and Beorn was sitting at the table behind him. Fili heard them speaking and thought that he should not listen, but again he was compelled to do so.

"So tell me, little dwarf. Why do you go with these ones who so hurt you?" Beorn asked.

"I think that, even if we don't stay there, me and Fili are meant to go to the mountain."

"But you said yourself, you do not rightly belong. You play at being one of them, however I do not believe they treat you as one of their own." These were harsh words coming from the skin-changer. But Fili knew that the great creature probably understood this situation better than anyone, as he did not really belong to any people either. He was almost alone, like Fili and Kili.

Kili sighed. "It may seem that way. It is merely because they do not know us anymore, and maybe it should be that way. We were dead, you know. Or at least they knew we were taken."

"Ah, I see." Beorn said. "And these people treated you terribly. The ones who took you?"

"They did. I did not speak for ten years because of them."

"They made it so that you could not?"

"I..." Kili was unsure. He had never told this story to anyone.

"You do not have to say if you do not want to." Beorn understood.

"No." Kili said. "I have to tell someone. Eventually I have to tell my stories, or they will consume me. I will be lost and they will be the forest in which I am lost. I must tell."

"If you wish..." Beorn sat back and listened.

"It all began like this..."

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Fili and Kili had spent several days in the camp with the men in the Chetwood. They had arrived there a few days before that after the trek from Ered Luin. Fili was sure that these men had taken them and would soon demand some kind of ransom, but it was made clear after some little while that the situation was different. Fili and Kili huddled together, chained to a tall tree by way of their neck manacles. At first no one paid them any mind, and they just stayed there as people hurriedly passed them by, going about their business. Fili began to worry when, after two days, they had been offered neither food nor water.

The next time someone passes, he called to them. He found it would had been better if he had kept his mouth shut. He got his water when the men tried to drown him in a bucket of it while Kili tried unsuccessfully to fight them off. They knew then that they weren't in a ransom situation. Almost immediately, Kili began to give them trouble as the men began to "train" them. But Kili made it clear that he was no man's dog who would take orders from anyone. Fili tried to get Kili to cooperate, but the younger dwarf was not having any of it, so one night, as they slept, the men came and tore Kili out of Fili's arms and took him away. Fili did not see Kili again for a year.

Kili was in fact, not that far away. Up in the hills, just above the Midgewater Marshes and just into the Lone Lands, there was a camp of men outside of Amon Sul, or Wethertop. These men associated closely with orcs and other foul creatures, as they came around the camp often. There were constantly shady deals going on in the camp, it was definitely not a good place for a dwarven slave to be at any time. He was again chained by way of his neck to a tall pole out in the open, under the sun and rain and whatever else would come. Again, food and water was not forthcoming. One day he lay on his side and wondered if he would die of thirst before he starved to death. There was a puddle of filthy water nearby, but he wasn't that desperate yet.

When the water sis come, it was just right in time, but the one who offered it was a terrible creature. A half-orc, or something that might have been the results of an orc and a man stood before him. "Hello, little dwarf." It said. "I hear you're difficult. Let me cure you of that." The orcs name was Gasrul, and from that forward, Kili was a pet who crawled along att his feet, punching bag, and general beast of burden for whoever around the camp needed something hauled. He suffered, and often wished for death. But he could not leave Fili. He had to stay alive for Fili. So he did, despite the pain and the humiliation and the constant backbreaking work.

****Warning Somewhat ugly violence might be ahead** **

Then one day, Gasrul and a couple of his "men" came and took ahold of Kili. The orc said, "I am sorry, little dwarf, but your time with us is almost over. You will be going back to the other camp tomorrow, but they wanted me to teach you one more lesson, and them you will be completely compliant."

"I already am, master. I would never disobey." Kili said as he began to tremble. What was this all about. He had done everything they wanted. He had suffered when he had not, and now he did whatever they wanted. One more lesson?

He didn't want to think on it, but think on it he must, for it had begun. Two other had joined them and the orc was telling them to hold his mouth open. They did and the dwarf began to panic, but he could not close it now. Gasrul reached into his mouth and grabbed hold of his tongue, and began to stretch it out of his mouth. "Do you know what we do with the difficult ones, little dwarf?" He said, as he held up a knife. "Well I figure you can guess. You see, they don't talk so well when they don't have their tongues, for the most part they stop talking all together. If they don't die right away from blood loss or choking. Is that what you want, little dwarf?"

Kili's eyes widened. Was that what they intended? He wanted nothing more than to die right then before he would have to suffer that. Please...He didn't want that to happen. Save me? Then the orc took the knife and held it close to Kili's tongue and gave it the slightest, tiny cut. It might have been less of a cut than the slightest of paper cuts, and so expertly executed that it would not have even bled. Still though, the dwarf could not help but give a little cry. Then there was the second, and the third, and then it was over, and the orc took the knife away. "Let him go." Kili was released.

"This is the lesson I teach you dwarf. You will not speak, for we grow weary of hearing your voice. Nothing you have to say matters, little slave, so I should keep my mouth shut, if I were you. If you don't, it is not you who will suffer. We will do this to the other one." A thoughtful look came to Gasrul's face. "Or maybe we will just rip it out of his mouth and watch as he chokes on the blood. That sounds entertaining, now doesn't it?" He asked the others. They all agreed. "If you say one word, one syllable, one squeak and that will be his fate. Do we have an understanding?"

Kili almost said yes, but them though that he mustn't. He nodded yes vigorously and bowed several times. "Very good. He may have started out difficult, but he learns fairly quickly. You can have him back now." That was the end of that terrible episode, and Kili was taken back to the other camp. From that day forward, he did not say a word. Not one word, not one syllable, not one squeak. He had gone completely mute, and it almost broke Fili's heart when they met again. Why was Kili silent? He knew it was something they did to him. It would have been nice if Kili could at least whisper it to him, but he never did. He merely suffered in his silence.

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Kili looked into the fire, his eyes distant, and his mind lost in memory. Beorn understood. "I see." He said. "I am sorry for your suffering."

"Don't worry about it. I appreciate you listening to me though. I have told no one. It is nice that someone knows."

"Are you sure I am the one you should have told?" Beorn asked.

"I think it got to the right ears." Kili said. "I had better get some sleep. Good night Beorn. You have my thanks."

"And you mine." Said the skin-changer. "Good luck to you, Kili."

Kili got up and walked across the room. He did not expect to see Fili standing in the hall looking dumbstruck. "You heard didn't you?" Kili said.

"Yeah...I'm sorry. Why didn't you tell me? You know you can tell me anything."

"I know I can tell you anything, dunderhead." Kili said. "And you would listen, and you would feign sympathy, but it wouldn't be sympathy would it? If there's one person I don't want any pity from, it's you!"

"Kili...I..."Fili didn't know what to say.

"See?" Kili asked. "Pity."

"I'm sorry, Kili. It's just...I think I understand so much now. It hurt me so when you came back and you wouldn't even whisper to me. I just. I didn't understand."

"And now that you do?"

"I love you even more, brother. Come, lets sleep." Fili said as he led Kili back to the other room. What they didn't know was that someone else had been listening as well. Bilbo slipped off the ring for a moment, and just stood there, dazed. He stepped out into the main room and sat next to the massive Beorn. He was tiny in the great creatures shadow. He said, "Beorn, what shall I do?"

Beorn thought he knew what the hobbit was talking about. "You must do what you deem to be best, master hobbit. That, and no more. They look to you for guidance. Do not lead them wrong."

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So that was a long one. I know, but I wanted to get that bit out there for all to...Enjoy? Anyway, If I ever go too far, let me know. Thank you to everyone who favorited and followed. Very much appreciated. Thank you to Celebrisilweth, Wraven, KHB123, Guest (twice, haha), and Middle Earth Musketeers for reading and reviewing. It is always nice to hear from you! Keep the comments coming. Anyway in the next few chapters we're gonna find out where the tooth comes from. Cheers. I can't think of a song to go with this chapter...Or maybe I can. Ooh yes, _Hope and Despair_ I think it is from Suikoden V. I will post a link on my profile and specify the chapter. Anyway, thanks for reading! I shall see thee soon! STS


	8. Chapter 8

Fly Away Little Birds Chapter 8

***Warning! Again, content that may be hard to read ahead. Another warning will be placed below. Please be wary.***

They had left Beorn's house, and were now at the edge of the forest that people now called Mirkwood. Kili didn't like it at all. Even though Gandalf had told them to stay on the path, somehow, Kili knew they would get lost. He had no other choice but to follow them into the forest. Fili wanted to go. In fact, Fili was more determined than ever to go. He had a strange vigor to him now, and again, it was a bit unnerving. Again, Bilbo had noticed it as well and suggested again to Kili that they keep a close eye on him.

Fili was not mad though, had not lost his mind, and was certainly not a murdering psychopath. He had been angry when Therien had pointed out that they were not hobbits, and technically did not belong in The Shire. He was also baffled by what he had overheard Kili tell Beorn. Why did Kili not tell him earlier? What was he afraid of? That someday they might find themselves in the same predicament and that he would have to go completely silent again? Fili had long ago realize that though he knew he would try and protect his brother from everything, it was simply not possible to do so. There were so many times that Fili had felt like a failure in the past. He often had to remind himself that none of this was his or Kili's fault. They had been betrayed. He was willing though to admit that walloing in that past would do no one any good.

Kili was right though. Soon enough, they were lost in the mesmerizing forest and had no idea how to find their way back to the "path". It was suggested that the light little hobbit climb a tree so that they might get their bearings, and so Bilbo did. Almost as soon as Bilbo had disappeared into the canopy, something attacked the company of dwarves. Spiders, and large ones at that. Before they could even draw their swords, half of the dwarves were down. Kili watched in horror as one of the great beasts plunged it's vicious poison stinger into Fili neck. His brother fell, and Kili ran to his aid. That was the last thing Kili remembered.

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Until Bilbo was there, cutting open the cocoon like webs that held him and the other dwarves. "Wake up, Kili!" He cried. "You have to help the others!"

Kili groggily got to his feet and began to help the others to escape. The spiders were too many though, and they were almost captured again, when arrows began to fly from nowhere. The elves of Mirkwood had come to their aid. Kili found himself backed into a corner with and advancing spider. He held out his retrieved sword, but knew he stood little chance. Suddenly a knife flew and hit the creature square in the head, and soon it was dead. Kili had been saved by this elf. This tall stunning creature with emerald eyes and flowing red hair. It must have been the prettiest elf man he had ever seen.

Kili realized then that he was very much alone with this elf, in a clearing a bit off from the others. The elf did not seem hostile. Maybe he was merely there to help. Then the elf advanced on him, grabbing Kili's shoulder and pulling the sword out of his hand. Kili was scared, so he shoved the elf away. "Stay back!" he cried.

At first the elf stayed at some distance, but then he gauged that the dwarf, while afraid, was disarmed and no great threat. He moved forward again to grab Kili, but the dwarf quickly ducked out of his reach and was about to make a run into the forest when several more elves appeared, blocking his path. Kili resigned himself to what was about to happen. He fell to his knees and began to speak in a shuddering voice. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry masters. Please forgive me. I will not disobey again." The elves were astonished. They had never seen anything like this before. The dwarf rolled into a ball and the chant changed for a moment. "Please don't kill Fili, please, please don't kill Fili. I promise never to do it again. I will be silent, I will do whatever you want. Just don't kill Fili."

Who was Fili? They all wondered silently. Was this some kind of show to get them to release the dwarf? Was he mad? Was he truly so desperate? What was the dwarf afraid of? One of the elves came over and nudged Kili's quivering form with hos foot. The dwarf flinched, but did not move. So the elf bent over him and tied Kili and then picked him up, slinging the distraught dwarf over his shoulder. He joined the others, and the rest of the dwarves were already tied. Fili was there, and when he saw Kili he was enraged. "What have you done to him, you pointy eared bastards?!"

"No." Said the elf. "He did this to himself."

Kili struggled a bit to try and get a glance at Fili. "You're alright, Fili. The masters didn't hurt you."

The masters? Fili thought. Then he realized this was some sort of weird reversion. Kili was seeing bandits and not elves. He believed these elves were going to kill he and Fili. "It's alright Kili, they're not going to hurt you."

Kili simply shook his head. He had gone silent again, as he rested his head against the shoulder of the elf carrying him. He would not speak again until he felt safe. Fili wondered when that would be.

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Thranduil had a conversation with the future King Under the Mountain which did not go as well as anyone had planned. All of the dwarves were taken away. Then the elf that had carried Kili all the way back to the palace told his king about the strange episode in the forest. That the dwarf was beside himself and no one knew why. Only the other dwarf who had spoken to him seemed to know anything. Thranduil had his suspicions about the distraught dwarf. "I would like to see him. And the one who spoke to him. Separately. The distraught one first." The guard bowed to him and went to fetch the dwarf.

Kili did not struggle against the ones who brought him to the elf king. He accepted that even if he did manage to get away from the guards, there was really no where to go. When he finally came face to face with Thranduil, he immediately dropped onto his hands and knees in a submissive bow. He did not speak.

"Tell me dwarf, what is your name?" The king asked.

Kili simply shook his head, keeping his mouth clamped shut. The elf rose and stepped down from the dais upon which his throne sat and came to stand over the cowering dwarf. "You don't have to be afraid. I am not going to hurt you."

Again, Kili shook his head and hid his head further into the ground. He would not speak. He would be silent. Fili's life depended on it.

"Maybe the dwarf cannot speak." The guard suggested.

"Or maybe he simply refuses to." Thranduil suggested. "Why would a dwarf refuse to speak? Your companions were more than a little vocal. What is wrong with you that you would be so submissive? Silent? Pathetic?"

Kili continued to bore a hole into the floor with his eyes, refusing to look at the elf, refusing to speak, refusing to do anything but whatever this monster wanted so that he could get away. Again, a nudge with a foot and an involuntary flinch. The elf king inspected him for a moment more. "Show me his back. I have an idea as to what or issue might be."

They lifted Kili's tunic, and there were the scars. "Ah I see." The elf said. "Now show me his mouth. We shall see if he indeed cannot speak."

Kili panicked a bit at this and began to back away on hands and knees, but he was caught up in the arms of a strong elf guard and another took a hold of his jaw and forced his mouth open. The king glance and then signaled to release the dwarf. They placed Kili back on the floor and he immediately curled up in a ball again.

"So he chooses not to speak. The question is why?" The elf mused. "Bring the other one in."

Kili's eyes widened as he saw them bring in Fili and place him on the floor next to Kili. Remembering the old threat, Kili wrapped himself around Fili, almost sitting on top of his head, and the younger dwarf shook his head vigorously as tears filled his eyes. Fili tried to push Kili off, but he would not budge. Finally the king said, "take that one away."

Kili began to shake his head even more vigorously as he tried everything he could to hold onto Fili until finally he was wrenched free and was taken away, kicking and struggling all the way. The king looked to Fili. "Would you care to explain all this?"

"Kili and I were slaves, betrayed by those we trusted and sold to the most evil of men. Kili was threatened with things he cannot easily forget. He has gone into some strange dream state. I do not know if he even realizes where he is or who you are."

"I see. And who are you?"

"My name is Fili, your majesty."

"You are very polite for a dwarf."

"These days I am more hobbit than dwarf," Fili said with a smile.

"Hobbit?" Thranduil mused.

"Indeed. Our current master is a hobbit." Fili said.

"So you are not the property of Thorin Oakenshield?" Fili shook his head. "Yet you are still in bondage?" Fili nodded. "So dwarf, where is your master?"

Fili was taken off guard by this question. It was then that he realized he had said too much. "He is not here."

"Was he with the company of Thorin Oakenshield?" Thranduil asked.

"No." Fili told him.

"You are lying to me, dwarf. I don't like it when people lie."

"I have nothing more to say then." Fili said, showing his stubborn dwarvish nature.

'Oh my dear young dwarf." Said the King. "You have no idea with whom you are dealing, do you?"

Fili didn't know what was happening here. Just that he didn't like where it was going. He wondered what this elf's next move was going to be.

"I suppose you have nothing to say about your quest either. What is Thorin's purpose? I believe I know, but you might as well tell me what I want to know."

Fili followed Kili's example and mutely shook his head. The elf smiled at him. "How about this. You tell me what I want to know, or I have my guards take the other one, Kili was his name? And they shall take him to a nice dark place and deal out punishment suitable to people of your station."

Fili's eyes widened. He was threatening Kili. He had to do something.

"But I will do you this favor. I will give you a bit to think on it. A few days maybe? The you will talk to me or I will make good on that threat. Do you understand?"

Fili nodded. There was nothing else he could do. "Very good. Take him away." The guards took Fili away. Little did the dwarf know that someone else was there as well. Bilbo had been watching, and he was not about to let this elf hurt his friends.

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When they brought Fili down to the dungeons, Kili ran to the bars of his cell and stared out, but did not say anything. They locked Fili up, and then he heard the voice of Thorin. "Are you alright, Fili?"

"I'll live." He said.

"Did you tell them anything?" Thorin said in a dire tone.

"Not yet." Fili told him.

"What do you mean, 'not yet'?" Thorin asked.

"The situation is complicated now, Thorin." Fili said. "I will not speak of it now."

"I think you should." Thorin insisted.

"But I shall not." Fili retorted.

Thorin let it go for the moment. Fili heard footsteps outside his cell, and then Bilbo magically appeared. "Bilbo?" He whispered. "How did you get down here?"

"It's a long story, but we must be quick. I cannot stay long. I heard what the elf king said. I will get you out of here before they try to hurt him."

"Please try." Then Fili became more curious. "How did you get down here Bilbo?"

"Well, as Gandalf said, hobbits can pass unseen if they wish. I am small and quick. I snuck in."

"Thank goodness for you." Fili said. "Please hurry. If the time comes and we are not out, I shall have to tell them everything."

"I know Fili." Bilbo heard someone coming. "I have to go. I'll be back soon though!"

With that, Bilbo slipped away and then seemed to disappear. Kili seemed to have come somewhat out of his state, as when the elf came he said, "Why are you doing this?" He had the tooth, one of his most prized possessions, in his hand.

"We are doing this because you are trespassing and we merely want to know why." The elf said. Kili recognized him as the beautiful red haired elf who he had met in the forest.

"We mean no harm really." Said Kili. "We were just passing through and got lost."

"Just passing through the Greenwood. I doubt that, little dwarf. What is that you have there?" The elf asked.

Kili showed him. "Just a tooth."

"A tooth? Why would you keep a tooth?"

"It belonged to someone I cared for." Kili said. "She's dead..."

"I am sorry." the elf told him.

"I have been telling a lot of stories lately." Kili said. "Would you like to hear who she was?"

Fili was more than a bit surprised, for they had both told each other that they would not tell. Not because they should not, but just because it was terrible. "Kili are you sure you want to do this?" He asked.

"It is time." Kili said. "It is time to free ourselves from everything. Our past so that we can make way for the future."

"If you are certain." Fili said. The other dwarves were listening intently as well.

"Well it all starts like this..." Kili began.

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Fili and Kili had sent two years in the camp with the disgusting men who treated them so poorly. However they were survivors and took care of each other as much as possible. Then Winter came. Not the season, but a woman. A woman who had been bought from a brothel by the bandits to play companion to all of them. She was a lovely woman with long red hair and keen blue eyes, and a smile that could light up the world. She had one purpose though, and was required to fulfill it.

When she met Fili and Kili, she immediately grew to love them as fellow captives and slaves. Mostly she found Kili to be especially interesting because he did now speak and that made her sad. So she took to caring for him. One might even call it mothering as she protected him from harm as much as she could, held him close on occasion, and sang to him quite a bit. Soon Kili was more than a little devoted to her. They shared a mutual understanding that they were victims of cruel circumstance and that they needed to stick together, or these men would be the death of them. So she took care of both of them.

The men were more than a little vicious when it came to Winter. They used her and were often rough and abusive and left her badly hurt more than once. A couple of times, Kili had tried to defend her, but soon learned that it was not the best course of action for him. So when those times came, he could do nothing more than tend to her and take care of her.

***Here's the warning. Somewhat graphic content ahead. Be wary***

One day she grew overly tired of these abusive men who used her so. One night when she was with one of them, she bit into his neck. He died. So they decided to end her. They tied her down, did terrible things to her and then ended her life with knife and sword. All Fili and Kili could do was watch. Kili was inconsolable upon her death, but there was nothing Fili could really do for him. Winter was gone. A few days later, Kili found the tooth, and it had been with him ever since.

After that, a few more women came to the camp, but Fili and Kili decided it was best to not even get to know their names, for soon enough they were gone, in one way or another.

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"That's the story of the tooth." Kili said forlornly. Everyone was in a mild shock, including Thorin and the elf. Kili shed a few tears upon remembering, as did Fili, but now it was gone, and they were over with it. Free, so to say. "I just wanted to tell that story. I have wanted to for so long, but I was scared. Now it's okay." Kili said.

"It is," Fili said to his brother. "It's alright, Kili."

It was apparent that the elf was more than a little grossed out, as he decided to leave them then. Bilbo had been listening as well, hidden in a dark corner. They had been through so much. So much that even he didn't know about. He decided that they were the most resilient people he had ever met, and that he had to do something to spare them.

Over the next couple of day, he searched the palace. When he came to the cellar and saw the barrels, an idea came to him. He went to the dungeons and freed the dwarves. When they originally heard the idea, they were certainly not amused. Bilbo said, "Fine. Maybe just Fili and Kili and I will escape. You're not afraid of some barrels and a bit of water, are you boys?"

Fili shook his head. He was scared, but he had to get Kili out of there. In the end, the dwarves agreed. Unfortunately, their escape was interrupted by elves, and then by orc, and also by a gate that wouldn't open. Kili jumped into action and went for the lever. He was shot in the leg by an orc arrow. As the orcs and the elves fought, he managed to get to his feet and pull the lever, and the dwarves were set free, but he could not jump to safety himself, as an orc jumped right on top of him. He watched as Fili floated away, calling for him madly.

Kili expected to die then and there, but the handsome elf was there and shot the orc. The elf bent to pick Kili up, but the dwarf did not want to go with the elf, so he struggles. "Keep still." The elf told him. "You hurt yourself." Thankfully, the elf was lucky, for at that moment, Kili decided to pass out in his arms. Th elf took him back to the palace.

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Thranduil was not pleased to find that the dwarves had escaped, especially making a fuss while he was hosting a festival. It annoyed him to no end. Thankfully, not all the dwarves had escaped. The one left to them was the young one, who had been brought in wounded. He now lay upon a table where the healers would soon try to heal him.

"The orcs were after the dwarves." The handsome elf said.

"I know, Kirril. Somehow the orcs knew they were here. It means the orc have probably been tracking them for some time."

"What shall we do with this one, my King?"

Thranduil went over to the table and began to stroke Kili's hair with rigid hands. "Heal him, but lets see if we can get a few answers out of him as well. You said he spoke to you? Let's see if we can get him to speak again, even if it requires some...Persuasion."

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Okay a long one with another somewhat graphic scene. I know, it's just insane me who likes to torture people. So it goes I guess. Thank you for favoriting and following! Thank you to Guest (If you don't tell me your name, I'm gonna have to make one up for you-bad Star Trek reference. Just joking though, haha), Celebrisilweth, and Brianna Kye for the reviews. Always appreciated! Next time is probably going to be a short one, and then probably into the home stretch. As for a song, Reminiscence from Suikoden II. I will put it on the profile. Cheers, and I hope that section doesn't scare anyone off. Hahaha! STS


	9. Chapter 9

Fly Away Little Birds Chapter 9

Finally, the floating barrels had come to a stop some way down the river. Fili was immediately out of the barrel and was determined to go back to try and find Kili. He looked to Bilbo for support. Looked to Balin or Dwalin, or even Thorin or Therien. However no one was willing to go back with him. "Fine then," he said. "I'll go back by myself."

"Don't be a fool, Fili." Thorin said.

"Again, you don't get to say anything. Did he not just save us all? If he is in trouble, I must go to him. He's hurt and alone, and probably scared. I have to go. I belong with my brother."

"No." Bilbo said. "Thorin is right on this one. You cannot return."

"Try and stop me." Fili said, and he began to stomp off. Bilbo had had enough. He raced over to Fili, grabbed him by the shoulder, spinning him around. Then he did something he had never done before. He slapped Fili hard across the face. Fili stared at him in astonishment. Bilbo had never hit him before. The other dwarves were just as shocked as they gaped at the hobbit as well. "Listen to me, Fili. We cannot go back because those orcs are after us. If you try, they will kill you because you have no value to them. Kili will be alright. He was taken by an elf, not an orc. I saw it. They are not savages. They will probably heal him and when this is over I will go to them and try to secure his release."

"But what about the threats they made, Bilbo?" Fili said in a downtrodden voice. "That they would punish him...Hurt him?"

"I am telling you Fili, it will be alright. I have never really given you orders before, but I give you one now. You will come with us, and you will do as you're told, by me at least. Do we have an understanding?"

Fili nodded numbly. There was really nothing he could do, so he followed. His thoughts were with Kili as they made their way toward the mountain.

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Kili was lost in his delirium. They were in fact trying to heal him and not hurt him. Taking out the arrow had been its own adventure as he lay there, now strapped to the table, which was probably a good thing, as he would have flailed off of it some time ago if he were not. When the process actually began, they had given him some kind of medicine, some herbal concoction, and even now he felt his mind bending to its will. So he was healed, but he was also sure that he had spilled his guts while he was under the control of the herbs.

He had probably told them about the quest, Bilbo, Thorin's purpose, his childhood, his brother, everything about everyone he had ever met, the name of the dog owned by the hobbit down the road in Bywater that he often visited. He probably also told him things they really didn't want to know, like details about he and Fili's harrowing ordeal, about the torture, Winter, and maybe even the recurring thought he had about that beautiful hobbit lass that, despite the race difference he still really wanted to plow. And also the fact that he hadn't plowed anyone in a long time, and even if he had, he didn't want to talk about it.

When he woke, he was startled to find the elf king standing over him, stroking his hair again. He found it incredibly disturbing. "What do you want, Elf King?"

"Not so submissive now, are we, young dwarf?"

"I suppose not. I thought maybe all of this was just a bad nightmare and I would awake to find Fili."

"Fili. The other one. Your brother." Thranduil said. "And Thorin Oakenshield is your uncle."

"How did you?..."

"Know that? You have talked in your delirium and now I know everything about you. And that thing about that hobbit girl. I will add that to the things that I can never unhear. It was quite a detailed description."

"Sorry..." Kili said embarrassed.

"Well now that you have told me everything that I want to know, and you have been healed sufficiently, I believe it is time to go see Thorin and your elusive master. I wonder if I can sway Thorin when he knows your life is at stake. Or maybe I will not take your life, and you shall remain in this palace as my slave until he comes to his senses."

Kili shivered. "Please. You mustn't push Thorin, your Majesty. He is a stubborn as his grandfather. I fear he may face the sickness and it will take him just as easily."

"Then I suppose your fate is sealed, dwarf." Thranduil said. "Kirril, bring in the special gift that I have chosen for our guest. You see, little dwarf, when we kill orcs in the forest, we sometimes pick up what they have left behind. Sometimes...So I thought this would be fitting."

The elf Kirril brought in a plain iron collar. Kili hated collars after several bad experiences. He wasn't going to take this lying down. However, he was still strapped to the table, so subduing him and clamping the collar around his neck was no real issue. Now he truly felt like a slave again, chained like a dog once more. "A lovely thrall collar for a lovely thrall. Come, we must go. Bring the dwarf."

Thranduil walked out of the room. Kili was released from the table, but with the chain, he could not escape the elves. "I'm sorry," said Kirril under his breath. Kili nodded. It was not Kirril's fault. All he could do was follow as they led him toward whatever destiny waited.

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The people of Lake-town had welcomed the dwarves, but were less than thrilled that the dwarves had unleashed a dragon upon their home. The town was destroyed, but Thorin wasn't about to let any begging men take any of what was his. Fili could tell that whatever the curse truly was, it had already taken Thorin. He seemd to be lost in the madness, and he was being unduly cruel to everyone. Even Therien felt the bite of his wrath when Thorin had sent him away at one point because the young dwarf had suggested he just give the men what they want. Fili wasn't sure, but Thorin might have hit Therien again. It was getting to a boiling point.

The only one that Thorin was not angry with was Bilbo, who he still seemed to trust for some reason. However that did not extend to Fili, who Thorin watched constantly with distrust in his eyes. He wanted tp find the stone. The Arkenstone which was the heart of the mountain and the king's stone. It was a proud symbol of Thorin's Ereborian kingship and he would not stop until he found it. So he made Fili look for it simply because Fili could not refuse and he and Bilbo were too scared to try and make any protest. So Fili found himself on his hands and knees, looking through endless randomology under the threat of no food and that he was not allowed to sleep either until he found it. Some of the other tried to help, especially Bofur, Bombur and Ori, but the rest kept a distance, not just from this task, but from Thorin.

Balin and Dwalin agreed with Fili that Thorin had gone mad with the Gold Sickness and that there was no cure for it other than for Thorin to snap out of it himself. Fili found that to be no real comfort. The vague possibility that Thorin might come back before he got them all killed was simply an annoyance. Fili's mind went to Kili. What were they doing with him? Had they hurt him? Would he ever see his brother again? Now he wished he had braved the orcs and gone to find his brother. Even the elves would have been better company at this point.

"It's impossible." Ori said in a defeated tone. "We're never going to find the stone. Not in this manner I fear."

"It's just ridiculous." Bombur said grumpily. "How can Thorin expect any of us to find something that's been missing for so many years in a few short days?"

"I don't know." Fili said. "He's gone quite mad. He won't even speak to Therien. We need to do something."

"But Balin said there's no real cure." Bofur reminded him. "We just have to wait it out."

"Wait it out? Until what? We've been invaded and killed by men and elves? I think not." Fili said. "This is absolute insanity."

"It is," said Bilbo, picking through a box full of jewels. "He is the king now though."

"The king of what? A pile of useless shit that's going to get us all killed? You and I should go now, Bilbo. In fact, I would say anyone who wants to live."

"We can't do that." Ori said to him. "We made Thorin a promise, gave our vow that we would help him until the mountain was reclaimed and everything was settled."

"Then have him settle things!" Fili said exasperated. "Just tell him to give the men and the elves what they want." He took a hand full of gold and chucked it as hard as he could across the vault, which was not very far, but he had to get rid of the stress somehow. "I tell you, If I were to find that stone, I would take it and hide it in the darkest of caverns until he came to his senses."

Nobody said anything. They continued with their search. Later, when everyone else was resting, Fili continued his work in the vault. He didn't see Thorin when he stepped down from the upper level. "Fili." He said.

"Thorin..."

"I take it you have not found the Arkenstone."

"No Thorin. I shall continue to look."

"Very good, Fili. Very good." Thorin considered him for a moment. "You know, I think I heard someone say recently that if they found the stone, they would hide it in the deepest of caverns."

The hairs on the back of Fili's neck stood up. This was not good. Not good at all. "You heard that, Thorin?"

"I hear many things. Like when I hear lies and deceit in the words of others. When they are hiding things from me."

"Thorin?"

Suddenly a fist met Fili's face. He fell to the ground and rolled a short distance away. He tried to get up, but Thorin was there, grabbing a fist full of Fili's hair and shaking him hard. "Where is the stone, Fili?!"

"I don't know!" Fili said honestly.

"I don't believe you." Thorin said very threateningly. "I believe you do know where the stone is. That you have hidden it. Tell me where it is!"

"I don't know, honestly I don't!" Fili said.

Thorin threw him to the ground. There was a golden sceptre near Thorin's feet. He picked it up and then began to his Fili with it. The blows were hard, but not as hard as they could have been. When Dwalin stopped Thorin, Fili guessed that his ribs might have been bruised, but not broken. Fili lay upon the ground, panting as Dwalin held Thorin back.

"Let me go!" Thorin shouted. "I must show this slave what we do to thieves."

"Thieves?" Balin said. "Thorin, what are you saying?"

"This pathetic little bastard stole the stone and has hidden it somewhere."

"I doubt that." Bilbo said, checking to see if Fili was alright.

"I know he has. That has been his goal all along. He planned to take the stone as an act of revenge."

"Thorin, it's not true." Bofur said. "We did not find the stone."

"That's because he's hidden it." Thorin said, seething. "The deceitful cur. Ondra was right to try and destroy you."

"Thorin, stop it!" Bilbo cried.

Thorin's mind was made up though. "The cells in this place have not seen service in many a long year. Lock him away until he tells me where the stone is. Then I will see to his execution."

Gloin and Nori went and hauled Fili up off the floor, and took him away. Thorin stormed off again. Bilbo went to see Fili and make sure he was okay. He was indeed, locked away, huddled in a dark cell, waiting for what he knew would come.

"Fili?" Bilbo said. He was not quite tall enough to see well through the barred window in the door. "Are you alright?"

"I will live. If they kill me, promise me that you will take care of Kili."

"Of course, Fili. But you mustn't say such things. Everything will be alright."

"I didn't take the stone, I swear."

"I know. I have a plan, Fili. A plan that may save us all. You have to trust me."

"Of course." Fili said. "Just be careful, Bilbo. Be careful."

"I always am, aren't I?"

"I suppose."

"Don't worry. I'll be back for you."

"Promise?" Fili asked worriedly. He sounded like a frightened child, but Bilbo could certainly understand that.

"I promise." Bilbo left him then. That night he snuck out of the mountain and gave the Arkenstone to Bard and Thranduil. He did not know that Kili was there, and Kili did not know that Bilbo was there. Bilbo went back to the mountain with only Fili on his mind as Kili languished in the camp of the elves and humans away from prying eyes.

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This is not as short as I hoped it would be. When I get on a roll, haha. Anyway, I hope this all did not come off as too intense. Thanks for the favorites and follows. Thank you to Celebrisilweth and EmerwenVoridune for the lovely reviews. If you like the fic, tell me about it. Feed back is always helpful! Coming into the home stretch soon, so hopefully you all stay with me. Cheers! STS


	10. Chapter 10

Fly Away Little Birds Chapter 10

Songs posted on profile may make you cry. Listen at your own risk. (hahahahaha!)

Thorin would not be swayed in any manner. He would not give the men or the elves what they wanted, he would not free Fili. In fact he really wanted to kill Fili right at the moment, but knew if he did, he would lose the loyalty of the company, so he must be revealed for what he was, a loathsome thief, and then he would see that Justice was done. And if Kili ever returned, he would do the same. Was lost almost completely, and would hear no one. His focus was on his treasure and finding the stone. He was quite sure that soon enough he would be in there beating the information out of the dwarf thief. Right at the moment though, there were other issues to consider. Morning was coming, and the elves would be out there expecting an answer.

He stood upon the rebuilt wall and stared down at the man Bard and the elf King Thranduil. They stared back at him but could clearly see from his eyes that Thorin was entrenched in his sickness. Thranduil spoke first. "Well, well, Thorin Oakenshield. We meet again."

"Indeed we do, elf king." Thorin said with a snort of derision. "What is it that you want here? You and your ridiculous friend there?"

"Nothing much." The elf said. "We just want what's ours and then we'll be on our merry way."

"You get nothing, elf that betrayed our family. You did nothing, so you shall have nothing. That is final."

"Come now, Thorin. Be reasonable." The elf said. "We will not harm you or deny you anything. But if it is required, we will come for you."

"Try it." The dwarf king said. "Try it and I shall destroy you."

"Oh come now Thorin. We both know you are incapable of that."

"We'll see about that."

The elf gave a sigh. "I thought we may come across this...Bump in the road. So I brought something that I believe belongs to you...In some fashion."

The elf pulled back his robes and there was Kili, seated before Thranduil on the great elk. The elf pulled the collar back so that Kili had to look up. He spotted Thorin and hope filled his eyes for a moment. "Thorin?" He said quietly. "Thorin!" He cried.

"Am I wrong? Is this not family?" Thranduil said.

Thorin merely glared down at all of them. "Keep the little piece of refuse. He is of no use to me, just like his thief brother that I plan to execute."

Kili was taken with shock. Thorin ws going to kill Fili? Why would he do that. "Thorin, what are you saying?" Kili cried. The elf shook the collar to silence the dwarf, who immediately got the message and silenced himself.

"So you don't want this back?" Thranduil said with a sigh. "I guess I just have to take him back to the palace and have him slave away there for the rest of his short years."

Bilbo, who had been listening to all of this and was dreadfully worried shook Thorin's arm, trying to get his attention. "Please." He said. "Don't let this happen." Thorin merely shook his off.

"You have nothing I want." The dwarf king sneered.

"Oh no?" Bard said finally. "Not even this?" He held out the Arkenstone.

Thorin's eyes went wide, how had they gotten the stone? "You thieves! How dare you take the king's stone."

"We did not take it. Someone close to you did though." Thranduil said.

Thorin turned to his company then. "Which one of you? Which one of you has betrayed me?"

The situation got ugly when Bilbo tried to explain himself and his actions. Thorin was more than ready to kill him when Gandalf stepped in, having arrived just at the right time. Bilbo climbed from the wall and first went to Kili to see that he was relatively unharmed. What none of them expected was a contingent of dwarves showing up from the Iron Hills led by Thorin's cousin, Dain. Something else that they did not expect was an orc army closing in around them as well.

Thorin disappeared into the mountain as the battle began, fully intent on letting what would happen, happen.

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Therien went to Thorin then. Thorin barely acknowledged him as he paced the vault. "Father?" Therien said.

"What is it?"

"What do you intend to do?"

"Tonight I will execute Fili. If not as a thief, then as an example that deceitful little hobbit thieves cannot get their way in the realm of Erebor." Thorin said.

"No, you won't." Therien said to his brusquely. "This is someone's life we are talking about.:

"A life that even you once tried to destroy?" Thorin said, amused.

"I will admit that once I was truly a horrid person. And I can blame mother for that, but it is an excuse. But they have saved me numerous times and they have proven their metal. Fili deserves to live."

"You forget, boy." Thorin said as he surveyed his great fortune. "I am king here. While you may be prince, that does not give you the same authority, nor the authority to talk back to me. Do not get in my way, Therien."

Therien grew very frustrated at that point and kicked a large jewel across the room. He approached his father then. "Do you not hear yourself? Do you not know that your cousin Dain is out there dying alongside elves and men. That we sit here and let others fight our battles for us? If you keep this up, you will be the king of nothing! How can your mind be so easily poisoned? Just like that of your grandfather's. If you do not free Fili in thirty minutes, I will go and do it, and the others and I will go and help our kinsmen."

"You would take my friends from me? My loyal servants?"

"Yes they are loyal, and they love you. That will all end though if they are dead. Make your choice, Father. I must go and ready myself. You have thirty minutes."

Therien left the vault. It actually only too Thorin about twenty minutes afterward to see that his son was right. As he stared out at his treasure, he realized how empty and cold it was. It was then that he felt the warmth return to himself, and he went and did something he never thought he would. The door to Fili's celled opened, and there was Throin.

"Have you come to kill me?" Fili asked.

"No. I have come to free you. I have seen the pain I have inflicted. I can never fix it, but there may yet be some redemption for me." Thorin came over to where Fili huddled and helped him up. Fili simply stared him down. Thorin knew that he deserved nothing less and simply nodded. "I will ask you this now, and I know I don't deserve it, but will you forgive me?"

Fili didn't even have to think about it. "I already forgave you. A long time ago. And no, you don't deserve it. It is out of my mercy that you receive it."

"I understand." Thorin said. "Kili is out there with the elf king. The battle has begun. I will ask you, will you come with me and fight? Not for me, but so that you might still save him?"

"I will." Fili said. The agreement was made, and the dwarves made ready.

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Kili had been separated from Bilbo, as the elf still had hold of him on the elk. When both elk and elf fell, Kili was almost crushed underneath. However, Kirril was there to help. He pulled Kili into a dark corner, took a key out of his pocket and freed Kili. Then he handed the dwarf a sleek elven knife. "Defend yourself, dwarf." He said. Kili did as well as he could.

Then he heard the cheering of dwarves. Thorin had decided to leave the mountain, and Fili was with him. Even from that place in the city, Kili could see. He had to get to Fili, but the fighting was fierce there, and he found himself protecting several women and children before he could even look for Fili again. When he saw him, Fili was riding up the hillside with Thorin to where Azog stood as commander. Kili so wanted to join him. "You want to go up there?" Kirril asked.

"Yes, with all my heart."

Kirril grabbed the reigns of a horse that was running by. He got on and pulled Kili up. "Here we go."

Fili had been searching the lower levels of the tower. There was nothing. When he stepped out, he saw Thorin gaping at something over his head. Azog was holding Therien and was going to stab him. A knife flew out of nowhere. It was well aimed. It flew past Therien, knicking his cheek and hit it's mark, Azog's shoulder. The orc dropped the dwarf prince to the ground. Fili looked behind the other dwarves and saw a tall elf on a horse, and also on that horse was Kili. The younger dwarf hopped down. "We have to get him out of the way!" He called as he went to Therien. Fili helped Kili drag Therien out of the way.

"You saved me again." The dwarf prince said with pained breaths. "I think I broke a few ribs." he said. He chose that moment to pass out. Fili dragged him a little more out of the way.

Kili did not see the other large orc. The one who grabbed him by the arm and dragged him away. Fili had cried out to him as the orc took him away, but Fili could not stop it, as he was being bombarded by other orcs at the moment. Kili was gone.

The orc had taken Kili to a small rock shelf under an overhanging shelf of rock. Kili kicked himself out of the orcs grasp. The dwarf did not know what to do. A small knife against a large sword was no fair match. The fact that the orc had at least two heads on him did not make things better either. The dwarf was without armor and nearly weaponless, but he had no other choice. He charged at the creature with his knife raised. He got in a few good blows. Thought for a moment that he might succeed in killing the creature. But it was not to be so, as the creature grabbed him by the neck, lifting him up.

Fili came onto the overhang. When he saw the orc lifting Kili up, he knew he would never be able to get there in time. He was right as the blade pierced right through Kili. His brother was dropped to the ground and the creature turned to Fili. Fili charged like a mad dwarf, launching himself at the creature, fighting him almost animalistically with his ferocity. However, he was not a match for the beast either. He was thrown to the ground and expected the orcs blade to slice through him as well.

But as the beast approached, something collided with it. It was the elf that had been with Kili. He fought the beast and Fili went and crouched beside Kili. "Kili? Speak to me." Fili said as he desperately tried to wake his brother. Kili opened his eyes. "Fili?" He asked.

"Yes! It's me. I'm here with you."

"I was worried about you, Fili."

"Not as worried as I was about you."

Kili gave him a pained smile. He lifted his hand up, as if to stroke Fili's face. The hand faltered, but Fili took it in his own and held it tight. Kili was bleeding badly. He squirmed in pain, moaning as he did so. "I'm happy to see you, brother. I thought you were gone."

"No, I'm right here, Kili. It's going to be okay."

At that point they both probably knew that it was not going to be okay. The elf brought down the orc, and he watched for a moment as this final exchange went on. The battle was over. The alliance had won. However, there were two there that would hardly think it was a victory.

"Fili. When I am gone, I want you to live for me. Can you do that for me. Your final gift to me?"

"Don't say that, Kili. You're going to be okay. Don't die. Don't leave me."

"I don't think that either of us has a choice in the matter anymore. I just want to say that of all the pain, and through all the hardships, we had each other. That will never change. I love you more than the world itself."

"I love you, Kili. More than the world itself."

Kili closed his eyes. They did not open again. Fili sat there and stared at his brother for a moment. He tried to rouse him. "Kili?" He said as he shook him a little. "Will you not speak to me, brother?" Another shake. "Will you say nothing for me?" A harder shake. "Kili say something to me!" But it was over. Fili gave off a yell then that could be heard all over the mountainside. It was the most grievous sound most had ever heard, and all of the company of Thorin Oakenshield knew what it meant. Moments later, another cry sounded. Therien had lost Thorin. A victory hard won indeed.

The elf Kirril had long ago had left them to give them privacy. Fili bent over Kili and kissed him upon the forehead. Then he lay down by his brother, placing his head upon his's brother's shoulder. The sobs disappeared. For the last time, Fili slept by the side of his brother, staying close by to keep him safe.

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He heard a strange but familiar voice. "Kili? Are you ready, my love?"

"Mother?" He said in a strained voice.

"Open your eyes, Kili. It's time to go."

Kili opened his eyes and he saw his mother, standing there beside him, watching he and Fili. "Come on, Kili. It's time to get up."

Kili stood, and it felt as if he were standing up out of himself. In some ways it was true, for he saw that he stood over himself and Fili. "I have died, haven't I?"

"Yes my love. Now we must go."

"Where are we going?"

"To a place of peace and rest where you will be happy and safe forever. The Halls of Mandos await us my dear son."

Kili looked down upon Fili. "What about him?"

"He'll be alright. I promise Kili. And one day he will join us."

"Alright. It pains me to leave him, but leave him I must." He bent over Fili and stroked his cheek. Fili shifted a little in his sleep. "Goodbye my beloved brother. I must go. Live well for us. You are truly free now."

Dis held out her hand to him. "Come. Take my hand. We'll go together."

Kili nodded. He took her hand and they walked from that place and disappeared into the light.

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When Fili woke, he found Bilbo sitting nearby. The little hobbit had been crying. At first he had thought they were both dead. When he found that Fili was just asleep, he was relieved beyond belief. They came then to take Kili away. Fili gave slight protest, despite the fact that he knew his brother was beyond help or pain. In the end, Bilbo convinced him to let Kili go. It was over.

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Fili and Bilbo were staying in the mountain for a while to help out. There was a lot to be done and not much time to do it in. Therien came into the library where Fili was helping Ori organize some of the books and papers with Balin. They all greeted him, and then Balin and Ori took their leave. Therien wanted to talk to Fili.

"Fili. I wanted to say I was sorry, for so many things. I know now that I was selfish and devious, and I deserve your forgiveness less than my Father did, but still."

Fili simply nodded but said nothing.

"I assume you are staying for the funeral?"

"Yes." Fili said.

"Kili will be buried as a prince. I have seen to the arrangements."

"Thank you." Fili said.

"I hope that some day, when time has passed, we may meet again. Maybe not as friends, or even family, but maybe as a true warrior and his fool cousin of a king."

"Good luck to you, Therien." Fili said. "You'll be okay."

Therien nodded and left Fili to his work. A bit later, Bilbo came in. The hobbit sat in a nearby chair and looked the library over. Full of old books and scrolls that were now mostly on the floor, Bilbo wondered how they were ever going to get this mess cleared out. Still, he felt like making conversation. "Fili. The funeral will be in a couple of days."

"Then we can go home?" Fili said.

"Well..." Bilbo got up and showed Fili a long bit of parchment. "I had Balin draw up the papers. I have signed them. This leaves you with a choice, Fili. You can either stay here, among other dwarves, or you can come back with my, your surrogate family."

"I will always choose to be with you, Bilbo. You are my family. I belong with you, free or otherwise."

Bilbo smiled and got to his feet, going over to embrace the dwarf. He had hoped Fili would say that. However, he had no idea how he was going to deal with the idiots in Michael Delving when they got back.

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The funeral had been difficult, but Fili was glad that his brother was at peace. When it was over, they said farewell to the member of the company of Thorin Oakenshield, and Fili and Bilbo went back to The Shire, where they both belonged. When they got there, Bilbo made such a ruckus about Fili that the counsel at Micheal Delving had no other choice but to let the dwarf stay, to the dismay of Lobelia Sackville-Baggins and her odious husband.

Fili could stay in The Shire, but he himself was not at peace. He spent many long weeks traveling to the places that he, Bilbo and Kili had once adventured to. The Bindhole Wood, Needlehole the Greenfields, but none of then soothed him. Then, one night when he was coming across the Greenfields, he saw something in the failing light of dusk. A figure down in the valley. It was a dwarf. It was Kili. Fili just stared for a moment, but then he knew the truth of things. Kili gave the widest smile that Fili would have thought possible. He held a daisy up to his nose and then released it into the wind. Fili caught it. When he looked again, Kili had disappeared into the wind and the light. Fili smiled knowingly. "I will see you again someday, sweet brother."

The End

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Okay, so that's the end of this one. If it didn't make you cry, I am going to post links on my profile to fitting songs that you can go back and listen to as you read. That'll make you cry, haha. Anyway, the end had come, but I am hoping to do an LOTR sequel to this one with our favorite dwarf, Fili. So I will see you there. Also hope to get back to the others, as I have been neglecting them in favor of this. I will get back to them soon. Thank you all for favoriting and following. I appreciate it always. Thank you to Celebrisilweth, KHB123 and Guest and everyone who reviewed this fic. I can't thank you enough. Eternal thanks. I will post the song links to the profile, check them out. That is all for now, thank you all so much! Cheers! STS


	11. Author's note

Hello everyone! I just wanted to let you know that I have created an original piece of fiction based off of "Fly Away Little Birds". It is called "Tales of the Driss, Krystal Dragons" and it is now available on Kindle and soon in paperback. Please ignore the troll review. That was someone who didn't like that I called them on their bullcrap on Twitter. If you liked "Fly Away," you will probably like "Driss". Thank you for your readership. I greatly appreciate it.

Tales-Driss-Krystal-Shara-Maude-ebook/dp/B06XCZKB2X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1492556699&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=Shara+Maude


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